Ubon Ratchathani Airport (IATA: UBP, ICAO: VTUU) is in Nai Mueang subdistrict, Mueang Ubon Ratchathani district, Ubon Ratchathani province in northeastern Thailand. It currently serves as both a commercial airport and as a Royal Thai Air Force base.
Ubon Ratchathani Airport ท่าอากาศยานอุบลราชธานี | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public / Military | ||||||||||
| Owner | Royal Thai Air Force | ||||||||||
| Operator | Department of Airports | ||||||||||
| Serves | Ubon Ratchathani | ||||||||||
| Location | Nai Mueang, Mueang, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand | ||||||||||
| Opened | 1921 | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 406 ft / 124 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 15°15′04.60″N 104°52′12.83″E / 15.2512778°N 104.8702306°E | ||||||||||
| Website | minisite | ||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||
 | |||||||||||
  UBP/VTUU Location of airport in Thailand | |||||||||||
 | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Sources: Department of Airports | |||||||||||
History
editThe airport was first opened in 1921, when the nearby Warin Chamrap district was affected by smallpox and cholera epidemic.[citation needed] The authorities have sent doctors and medical supplies by plane to Ubon Ratchathani province to alleviate the suffering of the residents.
In 1955 it became Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base for the Vietnam War; in 1975 the facility became[when?] an international civilian airport, with direct flights to Vietnam.[citation needed] These flights proved unprofitable, and while the international signage is still in place, only domestic flights have operated for a number of years.[citation needed]
Airlines and destinations
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Nok Air | Bangkok–Don Mueang |
| Thai AirAsia | Bangkok–Don Mueang |
| Thai Airways International | Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi |
| Thai Lion Air | Bangkok–Don Mueang |
| Thai VietJet Air | Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi |
Statistics
editPassenger movements
edit| Year | Number of passengers |
Aircraft movements |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 387,159 | 2,986 |
| 2006 | 372,633 | 3,270 |
| 2007 | 387,586 | 3,369 |
| 2008 | 391,772 | 3,355 |
| 2009 | 393,449 | 2,930 |
| 2010 | 452,944[1] | 3,903[1] |
| 2011 | 614,686[2] | 5,370[2] |
| 2012 | 733,893[3] | 5,595[3] |
| 2013 | 835,648[4] | 6,340[4] |
| 2014 | 1,076,957 | 7,752 |
| 2015 | 1,467,256 | 10,951 |
| 2016 | 1,726,061 | 11,697 |
| 2017 | 1,791,828 | 12,042 |
| 2018 | 1,832,340 | 11,795 |
| 2019 | 1,790,734 | 12,017 |
Busiest domestic routes
edit| Rank | Airport | Passengers handled |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangkok–Don Mueang | 1,411,945 |
| 2 | Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi | 259,721 |
| 3 | Pattaya/Rayong (UTapao) | 65,675 |
| 4 | Chiang Mai | 53,790 |
Military use
editEstablished in the 1950s as a Royal Thai Air Force base, it was used by the United States Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force during the Vietnam War.
The airport is currently an active Royal Thai Air Force base, the home of 2nd Air Division/21st Wing Air Combat Command. The 211sq Eagles fly Northrup F-5E/F Tiger II fighter aircraft.
References
edit- ^ a b "Ubon Ratchathani Airport, Monthly Traffic 2010" (PDF). Department of Civil Aviation. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
- ^ a b "Ubon Ratchathani Airport, Monthly Traffic 2011" (PDF). Department of Civil Aviation. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
- ^ a b "Ubon Ratchathani Airport, Monthly Traffic 2012" (PDF). Department of Civil Aviation. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
- ^ a b "Ubon Ratchathani Airport, Monthly Traffic 2013" (PDF). Department of Civil Aviation. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
External links
edit
Ubon Ratchathani travel guide from Wikivoyage- Ubon Ratchathani Airport, Dept of Civil Aviation
- UBP Real Time Flight Information
