Ilopango International Airport (IATA: ILS, ICAO: MSSS) is an airport located on the eastern part of the city of San Salvador, El Salvador, once serving the city as its international airport until 1980 when it was replaced by the larger and more modern El Salvador International Airport, located about 50 km south of the city. Currently, Ilopango is used for military, air taxi, and charter aviation only. It also holds the annual Ilopango Air Show. The airport is also home to the National Aviation Museum (Museo Nacional de Aviación) of San Salvador, which is housed in the old terminal building.
Ilopango International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de Ilopango | |||||||||||||||
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 The airport's old passenger terminal | |||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military and charter | ||||||||||||||
| Owner | Government of El Salvador | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | Autonomous Port Executive Commission (CEPA) | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | San Salvador | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Ilopango, El Salvador | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | CST (UTC–6) | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 2,027 ft / 618 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 13°41′30″N 089°07′32″W / 13.69167°N 89.12556°W | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
  MSSS Location in El Salvador | |||||||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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History
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On 27 April 1964, more than 5,000 spectators were present when Pan Am Flight 503 operated by a Boeing 707-321B landed at Ilopango International Airport. It was the first jet airliner to land at Ilopango International Airport.[3]
Ilopango was one of the largest and busiest airports in Central America. During the civil war, due to its location, it was targeted for bombing by guerrillas. It ended its international service in January 1980, with the construction of the larger, more modern Comalapa International Airport. It played a role in the Iran-Contra affair when it was used by the Reagan administration's dummy corporations to fly funding and arms to the Contra rebels in the Nicaraguan Civil War.[4] Currently, there is a plan involving modernization and enlargement of the airport to accommodate modern aircraft. In 2001, the administration of the airport passed from the military to the Comisión Ejecutiva Portuaria Autónoma (CEPA), which is in charge of planning the modernization project.[5][failed verification]
Rehabilitation
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2024) |
Ilopango has the same problem of many airports in Central America: it borders on the city and has houses nearby so its runway can't be expanded. Its hangars will be relocated and modernized to serve as a modern commercial airport. CEPA has announced that they will begin rehabilitating the airport in late 2013 to allow short domestic flights within Central America.
Ilopango Airport has new signage on the main runway, and a revamped passenger room, as part of preparations being made for new airlines that will begin operating in May 2014. The President of the Civil Aviation Authority (AAC) has reported that a resurfacing of the airport's taxiway will be underway before initial operations of TAES Airlines in February 2015 and TAG Airlines in March 2015.[citation needed] Volaris is in the process of getting government approval to fly between Mexico and San Salvador.[citation needed]
Among the work completed in the old airport: adequacy of the passenger waiting room, which seats 25 people is completed. In addition to adequate seating for passengers, a new air conditioning system for traveler comfort. These facilities are slated to open in March 2015, when TAG Airlines begins operations at Ilopango Airport.[citation needed]
In January 2016, CEPA began building a new passenger terminal due to the high demands of TAG Airlines and CM Airlines.[citation needed] The new terminal was inaugurated on 7 December 2023. The construction, which cost US$684,000, tripled the airport's passenger capacity.[6]
Other facilities
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The Salvadoran Civil Aviation Authority has its headquarters on the airport property.[7]
Airlines and destinations
editPassenger airlines
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| CM Airlines | Roatán, Tegucigalpa–Toncontín |
| Transportes Aéreos Guatemaltecos | Guatemala City,[8] San Pedro Sula Charter: Roatán |
Former airlines
edit- Aviateca (Guatemala City)
- Lacsa (San José)
- TACA Airlines (San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa–Toncontín, Guatemala City, New Orleans, Miami, Mexico City, Managua, San José, Panamá, Belize City)
- Copa Airlines (Panama City, Guatemala City, Managua, San José, Cartagena, Barranquilla)
- SAM (San Andrés Island)
- Iberia (Madrid via Santo Domingo)
- LANICA (Nicaragua)
- Pan Am (New York City, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Guatemala City)
- Sahsa (Tegucigalpa)
- Transportes Aéreos de El Salvador (San Miguel)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Ais | MSLP - El Salvador". Archived from the original on 27 July 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ "Airport information for MSLP". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF. - ^ Fuentes, Jonatan (30 September 2022). "Fotos: Conoce el Primer Avión que Aterrizó en el Aeropuerto de Ilopango Hace 58 Años" [Photos: Know the First Aircraft to Land at the Ilopango Airport 58 Years Ago]. El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Pious, Richard M. (2008). Why presidents fail. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7425-6284-4. OCLC 213080311.
- ^ "[Homepage]". CEPA. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ Torres, Edgar (7 December 2023). "Inauguran Nueva Terminal de Pasajeros en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Ilopango" [They Inaugurate the New Passenger Terminal at the Ilopango International Airport]. Diario la Huella (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Home. Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved on January 5, 2013. "Km 9 1/2 Boulevard del Ejercito Nacional, Aeropuerto Ilopango, El Salvador"
- ^ "Avianca operará nuevas rutas desde El Salvador". Noticias de El Salvador - La Prensa Gráfica.
Further reading
edit- Andrade, Teresa (5 December 2014). "Ilopango en Espera de Certificación para Recibir Vuelos Internacionales" [Ilopango Awaits Certification to Receive International Flights]. Diario1 (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2024.
External links
edit- Museo Nacional de Aviación (in Spanish)
