Halifax International Airport
Encyclopedia
Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International Airport, or Halifax Stanfield International Airport is an airport in Enfield, Nova Scotia
Enfield, Nova Scotia
Enfield, , is a Canadian exurban community located in the Shubenacadie Valley on the border of Hants and Halifax counties. Specifically, Enfield exists in both the East Hants Municipal District and the Halifax Regional Municipality and is divided by the Shubenacadie River.The history of European...

 and in Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It serves Halifax and mainland Nova Scotia as well as adjacent areas in the neighbouring Maritime provinces
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...

.

The airport, owned by Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...

 since it was constructed, and operated since 2000 by the Halifax International Airport Authority
Halifax International Airport Authority
The Halifax International Airport Authority is a Canadian airport authority charged with operating Halifax Stanfield International Airport on behalf of Transport Canada....

 (HIAA), forms part of the National Airports System
National Airports System (Canada)
Canada's National Airport System was defined in the National Airports Policy published in 1994. It was intended to include all airports with an annual traffic of 200,000 passengers or more, as well as airports serving the national, provincial and territorial capitals.Any airport sustaining an...

. The airport hosts the headquarters of Chorus Aviation
Chorus Aviation
Chorus Aviation is a holding company which has controlled Jazz Aviation LP from 31 December 2010. Ownership was previously held by an income fund called "Jazz Air Income Fund", but a restructuring was announced in October 2010...

 and was formerly home to CanJet
CanJet
CanJet Airlines is a low-cost chartered airline based in Enfield and in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada at the Halifax International Airport. It operates contract and ad hoc charters throughout Canada and the United States...

 which is now headquartered in Montreal Quebec.

It is the 7th busiest airport in Canada by passenger traffic. In 2010, the airport handled a total of 3,508,153 passengers and 87,015 aircraft movements.

Pre-1960

An airfield in West End, Halifax
West End, Halifax
The West End is a neighbourhood of Halifax Regional Municipality in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located on the western half of the Halifax Peninsula. The West End is predominantly middle class with many blocks of tree-lined older residential streets. However, it is also home to many...

 on the Halifax Peninsula
Halifax Peninsula
The Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...

 known as Chebucto Field operated as the city's main airport until 1942, when it closed. RCAF Station Shearwater
CFB Shearwater
Canadian Forces Base Shearwater , commonly referred to as CFB Shearwater, was a Canadian Forces Base located in Shearwater, Nova Scotia on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour in the Halifax Regional Municipality....

 functioned as Halifax's primary airport until June 1960, when the current airport was opened. The Kelly Lake site was selected in order to reduce the number of days per year fog would affect airport operation. There is a continuing myth that the tree cutting that was required to construct the airport altered the fog patterns, however a weather analysis of the 1960-2008 period would show that this is, indeed, an "urban" myth. The origin of the myth may come from commuters, who may experience very localized fog near the airport during their morning drive along Highway 102
Nova Scotia Highway 102
Highway 102 is a north-south freeway in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia that runs from Halifax to Truro. It is the busiest highway in Atlantic Canada....

.

Operation Yellow Ribbon

Following the September 11 attacks the airport was part of Operation Yellow Ribbon
Operation Yellow Ribbon
Operation Yellow Ribbon was commenced by Transport Canada to handle the diversion of civilian airline flights in response to the September 11 attacks in 2001. Canada’s goal was to ensure that potentially destructive air traffic be removed from U.S. airspace as quickly as possible, and away from...

, as it took 40 flights—more flights than any other Canadian airport involved in the operation—carrying about 7,300 passengers—more passengers than any other Canadian airport involved in the operation other than Vancouver
Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, about from Downtown Vancouver. In 2010 it was the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements and passengers , behind Toronto Pearson International Airport, with non-stop flights daily to...

, which registered 8,500. Much of this was because flights that were coming from Europe were told to avoid the major airports in Central Canada, like Toronto Pearson
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...

, Montréal-Dorval
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport or Montréal-Trudeau, formerly known as Montréal-Dorval International Airport, is located on the Island of Montreal, from Montreal's downtown core. The airport terminals are located entirely in Dorval, while the Air Canada headquarters complex...

, and Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport or Macdonald-Cartier International Airport , in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is named after Sirs John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier...

.

To honour the people of Gander
Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador
Gander is a Canadian town located in the northeastern part of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, approximately south of Gander Bay, south of Twillingate and east of Grand Falls-Windsor...

 and Halifax for their support during the operation, Lufthansa
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...

 named a new Airbus A340-300 "Gander-Halifax" on May 16, 2002. That airplane is listed with the registration D-AIFC, and is the first aircraft of the whole fleet with a city name outside of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

.

Renaming

In 2005 the main passenger terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....

 was renamed in honour of Robert Stanfield
Robert Stanfield
Robert Lorne Stanfield, PC, QC was the 17th Premier of Nova Scotia and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He is sometimes referred to as "the greatest prime minister Canada never had", and earned the nickname "Honest Bob"...

, the former Premier of Nova Scotia
Premier of Nova Scotia
The Premier of Nova Scotia is the first minister for the Canadian province of Nova Scotia who presides over the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. Following the Westminster system, the premier is normally the leader of the political party which has the most seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly...

 and federal Leader of the Official Opposition, with a plaque placed on the public observation floor. On Friday February 9, 2007 Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...

 Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...

 arrived at the airport and officially announced the renaming of the entire facility from 'Halifax International Airport' to 'Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport' in a further honour to Mr. Stanfield; at that time the terminal name was dropped and reverted to its original status.

Awards

Halifax Airport fared well in the 2005 AETRA survey for passenger satisfaction, produced by the International Air Transport Association
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...

 (IATA) and Airports Council International
Airports Council International
Airports Council International is the association of the world’s airports. It is a non profit organization, whose prime purpose is to advance the interests of airports and to promote professional excellence in airport management and operations...

. The airport was ranked the best airport in the Americas for the second year in a row, as well as the best airport in the less than 5 million passengers a year category for the third year in a row (worldwide), and best domestic service for the second year in a row.

In March 2007, Halifax Airport earned two first-place finishes in the 2006 Airports Council International (ACI) Service Quality Awards held in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...

, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...

. For the fourth consecutive year, it ranked first in overall passenger satisfaction for airports worldwide with under five million passengers. In addition, the airport ranked first in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...

 in the new category of Airport People Awards, and second in the best domestic airport worldwide category.

In early 2010, Halifax Stanfield was rated by passengers as the Best Airport in the World in its class (under 5 million) for the seventh year in a row.

Facilities

Terminal and renovations

The airport terminal building at the airport was originally opened in September, 1960. It currently serves over 3.5 million passengers per year and growing. The growth experienced in the decades since the airport's construction necessitated constant renovations, and there is often construction occurring there.

Since 1998, the airport has been undergoing an extensive renovation program. The next phase of this program was announced in September 2004. The major multi-year expansion project will include a rehabilitation of the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...

s and taxiways, new terminal expansions, new parking lots (including an enclosed garage that opened in the spring of 2009), a new hotel, and internal beautifications including an observation tower. The project will cost over $250 million. The airport has completed an observation tower along with work on aesthetic improvements to the terminals, with work on the parking lot/garage, terminal expansion and runway rehabilitation scheduled for completion in 2010.

In December 2004, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...

 approved Halifax Airport for United States border preclearance
United States border preclearance
The United States operates border preclearance facilities at a number of ports and airports in foreign countries. They are staffed and operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Travelers pass through Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Department of Agriculture inspections...

. It took effect in late 2006. HIAA was previously the busiest airport in Canada without U.S. Customs preclearance.

On September 12, 2007 the airport authority announced the construction of a 2,300 space, 5-storey parking garage, which was completed on March 12, 2009. The airport authority also announced an on-site 175-room Sheraton
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...

 hotel, which has since been postponed due to financial considerations.

The current terminal contains a total of 31 gate positions, with 12 using airbridges (gates 12, 14-16, 18, 20, 22-24, and 26-28). The remaining gates are ground loading positions. Gates 22-24, and 26-28 are swing gates which can service domestic flights and then be converted to receive incoming international flights via a glassed-in secure corridor from the holdroom for international flight operations. Gates 2(a-e) to 9 are ground loading positions dedicated to domestic regional operations (mainly Air Canada Express). Gates 34 to 46 are ground loading gate positions for US flights operating regional jets. An August 2010 press release indicated that part of the Airport's 10 year capital improvement program would see the expansion of the Domestic/International Check-in area and expansion of the Terminal Building at the north end in anticipation of additional flights from EU nations. As of 2011, the airport also has plans to lengthen its runways.

FBOs

The airport is served by several Fixed Base Operators (FBOs)
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...

, which handle fueling, ground handling, hangarage, catering, etc. They include Esso Avitat, Shell AeroCentre, and Gateway Facilities.

Aerotech Business Park

The airport is located adjacent to the Aerotech Business Park, a municipally run business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....

 originally catering towards aviation companies. The zoning has since been changed to allow for other types of companies to locate there. The two largest tenants are Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada is a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer. PWC's headquarters are in Longueuil, Quebec, just outside Montreal. It is a division of the larger US-based Pratt & Whitney , itself a business unit of United Technologies...

 and Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...

.

Alternate space shuttle landing site

Halifax Airport was one of the handful of sites along eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

 where the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...

 could have landed if something went wrong during liftoff.

Other facilities

The airport hosts the headquarters of Jazz Aviation.

Airlines and destinations


Note: denotes charter operators and their destinations


Other operations

The following companies operate out of private facilities at the airport:

Cargo

Halifax is served by the following cargo airlines:
  • ABX Air
    ABX Air
    ABX Air, Inc., formerly Airborne Express, is a cargo airline headquartered at Wilmington Air Park in unincorporated Clinton County, Ohio, United States, near the City of Wilmington. ABX Air operates scheduled, ad hoc charter and ACMI freight services. It also provides flight support services and...

  • Air Canada Cargo
  • Asiana Cargo
  • Cargojet Airways
    Cargojet Airways
    Cargojet Inc. is a scheduled cargo airline based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It operates cargo services in Canada and internationally, as well as full aircraft charters. Its main base is John C Munro Hamilton International Airport...

  • DHL
    DHL
    DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....

  • FedEx Express operated by Morningstar Air Express
    Morningstar Air Express
    Morningstar Air Express Inc. is a cargo airline based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It operates a contract all-cargo service from Montreal to Winnipeg for FedEx Express, as well as all-cargo charter services. Its main base is Edmonton City Centre Airport....

  • Icelandair Cargo
    Icelandair Group
    Icelandair Group hf is an Icelandic travel industry corporation, the owner of the airline Icelandair and numerous other travel industry companies...

  • Purolator Courier
    Purolator Courier
    Purolator Courier Ltd. is a Canadian courier that is 91% owned by Canada Post Corporation, 7% owned by Barry Lapointe Holdings Ltd. and 2% by others....

     operated by Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter
  • Prince Edward Air
    Prince Edward Air
    Prince Edward Air Ltd. is an airline formerly headquartered in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The airline offered a variety of services including: scheduled cargo, ad-hoc charter, air medevac, maintenance, sales and service.-History:...

  • Skylink Express
    SkyLink Aviation
    SkyLink Aviation Inc. is a Canadian based international aviation group that specializes in Project Management, Air Charters, Aviation Support, Aircraft Maintenance, Air Courier, Executive Air Charters as well as Flight Planning and Clearance Services....

  • TNT Airways
    TNT Airways
    TNT Airways, a subsidiary of TNT Express, is a cargo and passenger airline, operating chartered flights to mainly European destinations...


Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum

The nearby Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum
Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum
The Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum is a Canadian aerospace museum located in the Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia.It is the only museum devoted to preserving all aspects of Atlantic Canada's aviation heritage.-History:...

 includes both military and civil aviation exhibits.

Incidents and accidents

  • On the night of September 2, 1998 Swissair Flight 111
    Swissair Flight 111
    Swissair Flight 111 was a Swissair McDonnell Douglas MD-11 on a scheduled airline flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, United States to Cointrin International Airport in Geneva, Switzerland...

    , a scheduled flight from New York City
    New York City
    New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

     to Geneva
    Geneva
    Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...

    , declared a pan-pan
    Pan-pan
    In radiotelephone communications, a call of three repetitions of pan-pan is used to signify that there is an urgency on board a boat, ship, aircraft or other vehicle but that, for the time being at least, there is no immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself. This is referred to as...

     after the crew noticed smoke in the cockpit. The flight diverted to Halifax but crashed into the sea at the entrance of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
    St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
    St. Margarets Bay is a Canadian bay located on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia on the border of the Halifax Regional Municipality and Lunenburg County .-Description:...

    , about 60 km from the airport. All 229 passengers and crew perished.
  • On October 14, 2004 MK Airlines Flight 1602
    MK Airlines Flight 1602
    MK Airlines Flight 1602 was a MK Airlines Boeing 747-200F cargo flight on a flight from Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Nova Scotia, Canada to Zaragoza Airport, Spain. It crashed on take-off killing the crew of 7....

    , a Boeing 747-200F, crashed during takeoff from runway 23. All seven crew members died.

External links




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