Annaba Rabah Bitat Airport (IATA: AAE, ICAO: DABB), formerly known as Les Salines Airport, and popularly as El Mellah Airport is an international airport located 9 km (5.6 mi) south of Annaba, a city in Algeria.[2] It is named after Rabah Bitat, a president of Algeria (1978–1979).
Annaba Rabah Bitat Airport مطار عنابة - رابح بيطاط (Arabic) | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | EGSA-Constantine | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Annaba, Algeria | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 5 m / 16 ft | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 36°49′45″N 7°48′50″E / 36.82917°N 7.81389°E | ||||||||||||||
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  AAE Location of airport in Algeria | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2020[1]) | |||||||||||||||
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History
editDuring the era of French colonization in Algeria, the airport was named Bône-les-Salines, in reference to the salt lakes in the vicinity of the site.
It was put into operation in 1939, and a decree of 16 December 1958, entrusted the operation to the Chamber of Commerce of Bône.[5]
World War II
editDuring World War II, the airport was known as Bone Airfield, and was used by the German Luftwaffe. It was later captured by the United States Army, the USAAF Twelfth Air Force in the Western Desert Campaign in 1942–1943.
In November 1942, the Allies invaded French Morocco and Algeria (Operation Torch). The British airborne operations in North Africa started on 12 November, when the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment carried out the first battalion sized parachute drop on Bone airfield. The remainder of the 1st Parachute Brigade arrived by sea the next day. Bone Airfield was the base of No. 111 Squadron RAF, a Supermarine Spitfire squadron under Squadron Leader Tony Bartley. One notable pilot to fly from Bone on occasion was Wing Commander Adrian Warburton who was an infrequent visitor after crash landing there on 15 November 1942. 81 Squadron were based at Bone from 16 November to 31 January 1942 with 'Ras' Berry DSO DFC and then Colin F Gray DSO DFC being Squadron Leaders. Alan M Peart DFC also claimed his first aerial combat victory as well as two further aircraft damaged over Bone Harbour during this time.[6]
Algerian war
editAfter the war, the air base 213 one of the air bases of the French Air Force, was established on the site at that time. It was home to the 1/91 Gascogne Bombardment Group, a unit recreated on 1 September 1956 (and temporarily dissolved on 17 September 1962, after the Algerian War), which was equipped with Douglas B-26 Invaders.[7]
Post-war period
editAfter Algerian independence and until 2000, Annaba airport was named El-Mellaha (meaning in Arabic "Les Salines").[citation needed]
Since then, the airport has been named in honor of Rabah Bitat, former head of the Algerian state.[citation needed]
Facilities
editThe old terminal had an annual capacity of 500,000 passengers. In January 2016, the new international terminal was opened. The new terminal, which on commissioning generated 300 jobs, has an expandable capacity of 700,000 passengers per year.[8]
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Terminal of the airport. -
Terminal of the airport
Airlines and destinations
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Algérie[9] | Algiers, Istanbul, Lyon, Marseille, Oran, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Paris–Orly |
| Tassili Airlines | Algiers, El Oued, Hassi Messaoud |
| Volotea | Seasonal: Marseille[10][11] |
Statistics
editThe evolution of air traffic at Annaba airport between 2006 and 2020 is:[12]
| Traffic | Year | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Total | 362 303 | 372 244 | 386 607 | 416 435 | 402 585 | 421 547 | 446 846 | 462 003 | 473 530 | 489 739 | 530 709 | 553 349 | 520 493 | 515 481 | 105 229 |
References
edit- ^ "Statistiques des Passagers de 2011 à 2020" (PDF; 229 KB). egsa-constantine.dz (in French). EGSA Constantine. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- ^ a b AIP and Chart from Service d'Information Aéronautique - Algerie (in French)
- ^ "Airport information for DABB". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
- ^ Airport information for AAE / DABB at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006). Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ^ "Arrêté du 16 Décembre 1958: Concession d'Exploitation de l'Aeroport de Bone-Les-Salines a la Chambre de Commerce de Bone" [Order of 16 December 1958: Bône-Les-Salines Airport Operation Concession to the Bône Chamber of Commerce]. Legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ The National Archive reference TNA AIR-678-23
- ^ d'Algérie, Avions de la Guerre. "22 - Douglas A/B-26 "Invader"". Le blog de Avions de la Guerre d'Algérie (in French). Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ "Sellal inaugurates new terminal of Annaba". Algeria Press Service. 9 March 2016. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016.
- ^ "Air Algérie Route Map". Retrieved 22 January 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Volotea : Vers l'ouverture d'une nouvelle liaison entre Marseille et Annaba". 27 July 2022.
- ^ "VOLOTEA - Vuelos baratos, ofertas y billetes de avión a Europa".
- ^ "Statistiques du Trafic aérien". Etablissement de Gestion de Services Aéroportuaires de Constantine (in French). Retrieved 27 August 2021.
External links
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Media related to Annaba Rabah Bitat Airport at Wikimedia Commons
