Samsun Çarşamba Airport

Samsun Samsun Çarşamba Airport is a civil-category airport serving the province of Samsun. Initially, an airport was constructed in 1958 approximately 4 km from the city city center. However, increasing passenger traffic, technological advancements in airplane types, and capacity limitations led to the need for a new airport. To address this, it was decided to build a new airport on a 3.94 million square meter site in the Çınarlık village of Çarşamba district in Samsun land.

The airport project was tendered in 1993 by the Directorate of Ports and Airports (DLH), but the tender was later canceled. In 1994, a re-tender was won by a consortium consisting of Alsim Alarko and Akfen Construction. The foundation stone was laid on 31 August 1994 by then Prime Minister Tansu Çiller, but construction progressed slower than expected. The airport was officially opened for air traffic on 15 December 1998 by then President Süleyman Demirel and Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz, and scheduled flights commenced on 11 February 1999.

Physical Structure and Technical Specifications

• Location: Located in Çarşamba district of Samsun, approximately 25 km from the city center.
• Opening Date: 15 December 1998
• ICAO Code: LTFH
• IATA Code: SZF
• Terminal Building: 11,500 m² enclosed area
• Geographic Coordinates: 41°15′56″N, 36°32′55″E.
• Runway Structure: The airport is equipped with modern electronic systems to enable takeoffs and landings under all weather conditions.

The airport has infrastructure capable of accommodating aircraft in the 4E category, as the width of taxiways B and C including the shoulders is 39 metres.

Operations and Flight Information

Samsun Çarşamba Airport was designated as an air border gate by the Council of Ministers Decision No. 2000/918 dated 22 June 2000, thereby officially opening to both domestic and international flights.

• Passenger Capacity: It surpassed one million annual passengers in 2011.
• Apron Expansion: In 2009, apron capacity was increased and an A-type cargo warehouse and cold storage facility were constructed and put into service that same year.
• Flight Restrictions: In 2010, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation lifted flight restrictions at the airport and implemented an open skies policy, allowing airlines to operate any number of flights to and from Samsun Çarşamba Airport.

In 2017, the airport hosted a total of 1,252 flights serving 145,708 passengers. Flights operate daily to Istanbul and Ankara, four times weekly to İzmir, and on Wednesdays to Antalya. Additionally, there are weekly flights four days a week to Germany, and one day a week to Russia, Austria, France and Ukraine via direct.

Maintenance and Renovation Works

In 2017, the airport was closed for three months due to subsidence on the runway. Maintenance work that began on 8 August 2017 was completed on 7 November 2017, and the airport reopened for service. The first aircraft to land was Turkish Airlines flight 136 from Istanbul Atatürk Airport carrying 136 passengers. As part of the renovation, the two sunken sections of the runway and the electrical infrastructure were completely replaced.

Significance of Samsun Çarşamba Airport

Samsun Çarşamba Airport holds a strategic position in the Black Sea Region and serves as the primary air transport hub for Samsun and surrounding provinces. It is a key transportation link connecting the northern and southern coasts of the Black Sea.

• International Connections: It supports international connections along the Black Sea coast through flight routes to Europe and Asia.
• Tourism and Trade: It significantly contributes to the economic and tourist development of Samsun and aids in the growth of regional trade.
• Air Cargo Services: Since the establishment of the cargo warehouse in 2009, it has facilitated the air transport of agricultural and industrial products.

Samsun Çarşamba Airport operates as one of the most important air transport hubs in the region due to its modern infrastructure, large apron capacity, suitability for international flights, and growing passenger traffic. Having undergone numerous expansion and improvement processes since its inception past, this airport will continue to contribute to the further development of air transportation in the Black Sea Region in the future.