Khartoum International Airport
Khartoum International Airport (IATA: KRT, ICAO: HSSK) (Arabic: مطار الخرطوم الدولي) is the principal airport in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The airport has been shut down since it was stormed and occupied on 15 April 2023 during the Battle of Khartoum.
Khartoum International Airport مطار الخرطوم الدولي Maṭār Al-Khurṭūm Al-Duwaliyy | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Civil and Military (Joint) | ||||||||||
| Serves | Khartoum | ||||||||||
| Location | Khartoum, Sudan | ||||||||||
| Hub for | Badr Airlines, Sudan Airways, Tarco Aviation | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,265 ft / 386 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 15°35′22″N 32°33′11″E | ||||||||||
| Website | krtairport.gov.sd | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
KRT Location of airport in Sudan | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2017) | |||||||||||
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Source: Khartoum International Airport | |||||||||||
The current airport is scheduled to be replaced by the New Khartoum International Airport in Omdourman 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of the centre of Khartoum. This is planned to have two 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) runways, a passenger terminal of 86,000 m2 (930,000 sq ft) and a 300-room international hotel. Construction is to be carried out by China Harbour Engineering Co. (CHEC). On 4 March 2021, the airport's ICAO code was changed from HSSS to HSSK.
The current airport originated as the Royal Air Force airfield Gordon's Tree. By January 1940, No. 223 Squadron RAF was located at Gordon's Tree, in the south of Khartoum. Later the area became known as El Shajjara ("The Tree"). By January 1942, No. 71 Operational Training Unit (OTU) RAF was operating from the airfield; among aircraft operated were Curtiss Tomahawks and Vickers Wellesleys. Reportedly the OTU had at one stage 50 Harvards and 20 Hurricane fighters on strength.
Sudanese independence was granted in January 1956. The last Royal Air Force flying unit reported at Khartoum was No. 8 Squadron RAF, which arrived in November 1953, and stayed until July 1956.