Maastricht Aachen Airport
Encyclopedia
Maastricht Aachen Airport is a regional airport located 5 NM northeast of the city of Maastricht
, in the town of Beek
, both municipalities in the Limburg
province in the Netherlands. The airport is also 15 NM northwest of the city of Aachen
, Germany.
It is the second-largest hub
for cargo flights in the Netherlands. As of 2010, the airport had a passenger throughput of 260,000 and handled 90,000 ton
s of cargo.
The Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) of the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation
(EUROCONTROL) is also located on the airport.
date back as far as 1919, with various locations being considered. Years of debate between various municipalities over the location and funding of the airport delayed its construction. In July 1939 the Limburg provincial government agreed to financially back the airport, however, the start of World War II meant the plans were put on hold once more.
Ninth Air Force
, specifically the IX Engineer Command, was tasked with constructing temporary airfields close to the advancing front
. The area around Maastricht was liberated in 1944. In October 1944, the advance headquarters of the XIX Tactical Air Command and the 84th and 303rd Fighter Wings were moved to Maastricht
to keep up with the Ninth Army.
Because of the proximity to the new headquarters, the decision was made to create a temporary airfield between the towns of Beek
, Geulle
and Ulestraten
. Several orchard
s which had suffered damage from a tank battle were commandeered and cleared. Rubble from the nearby town of Geleen
, which had been unintentionally bombed in 1942, was used to level the area.
The runway was 5565 feet (1,696.2 m) and reinforced with pierced steel planks.
The field was built in less than 2 months and was operational on 22 March 1945, and was designated Y-44.
The first unit to be based at the field was the 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, flying the F-6, a reconnaissance version of the P-51 Mustang
. The unit arrived on 22 March 1945.
As Nazi Germany
was rapidly collapsing, the front was already well into Germany by the time the field was ready, and no direct combat sorties were operated from Y-44. 31st TRS was moved to Y-80 near Wiesbaden
on 19 April 1945.
s made available by the English government.
In 1946, the service was taken over by KLM, using DC-3 Dakotas. However, as repairs to the Dutch infrastructure progressed, demand for the service dropped and it was stopped in 1949. The first semi-permanent airport terminal
was completed in 1947. The runway was paved in 1949, and a second paved runway was completed in 1950. In 1951, an agreement between the airport and the Dutch Air Force allowed for rapid expansion of the facilities. Runway 04/22 was lengthened to 1,850 m, and permanent runway lighting was installed in 1960.
, Tradair and Transair
. The airport was also used as an intermediate stop for services from London and Manchester to Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Yugoslavia. A local airline based at the airport, Limburg Airways, had a contract with the International Herald Tribune
for distributing the newspaper's European edition, which was printed in Paris. Limburg Airways was taken over by Martin's Air Charter (now Martinair
) in 1962.
A promotion campaign by the Dutch tourist board for the nearby town of Valkenburg aan de Geul
, aimed at British tourists, was highly successful and brought services by Invicta Airlines
, Britannia
and Channel Airways
.
Domestic travel picked up as well, and newly created NLM CityHopper
started to operate a service between Maastricht and Amsterdam Schiphol in 1966. The service would continue after KLM acquired NLM in 1992, and would last until 2008. When it was cancelled, it was the last remaining domestic service in the Netherlands.
An ILS system
, which allows landings in poor weather, was built in 1967, for runway 22 only.
, passenger volume remained the same and cargo operations expanded.
The international air traffic control area control centre
for EUROCONTROL was built at the airport. It started operations in 1972.
In 1983, the aging passenger terminal and air traffic control tower were replaced by new buildings The new terminal was later expanded and is still in use as of 2010.
On 14 May 1985, Pope John Paul II
held an open air mass for 50,000 people at the airport, as part of his visit to the Netherlands.
, Meerssen
and the city of Maastricht
. Although some night operations are allowed (including distribution of the European edition of The Wall Street Journal
), runway length limits intercontinental operations. The Dutch government initially approved plans for the runway in 1985, however, the new runway would mean increased noise over other towns and parts of Belgium, and the final decision was delayed.
As the new runway would require substantial investment, it would only be profitable if night operations were permitted and increasingly the debate became focused on whether or not night flights would be allowed. Successive cabinets could not reach a final decision, and in 1998, after some 25 years of debate and postponement, the plan was aborted altogether.
Substantial investments in the airport infrastructure have been made since the privatization. Between August and October 2005, the runway was resurfaced and renamed to 03/21 (from 04/22) to compensate for changes in the earth's magnetic field
. The airport originally had two runways; the second (shorter, 1080 m (3,543.3 ft)) runway (07/25) was closed and removed to make room for a new cargo terminal
and additional aircraft maintenance facilities. Construction of the new facilities started in April 2008.
On 7 May 2005, Air Force One
carrying US president George W. Bush
landed at the airport. Bush visited the Netherlands American Cemetery
in nearby Margraten
the next day.
The instrument landing system
(ILS) for runway 21 was upgraded to category III in 2008, which allows landings in very low visibility conditions. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the only other airport in the Netherlands that has category III ILS.
In march 2011, the airport was certified to handle the upcoming Boeing 747-8
, as two of the airports major airlines Cargolux
and AirBridge Cargo
have placed orders for this aircraft.
in Portugal. In the summer of 2007, flight training at the airport resumed as the Stella Aviation Academy moved into the facilities previously used by the NLS.
In 2009, there were a total of 40,621 aircraft movements, up 13.9% from 2008.
In 2008, there were a total of 35,668 aircraft movements, up 83.4% from 2007.
In 2007, there were a total of 19,454 aircraft movements, up 35% from 2006.
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, in the town of Beek
Beek
Beek is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality of Beek has two railway stations - Beek-Elsloo railway station in the west, and Spaubeek railway station in the east of the municipality...
, both municipalities in the Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
province in the Netherlands. The airport is also 15 NM northwest of the city of Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, Germany.
It is the second-largest hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
for cargo flights in the Netherlands. As of 2010, the airport had a passenger throughput of 260,000 and handled 90,000 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s of cargo.
The Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) of the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation
European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation
EUROCONTROL is the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation. Founded in 1963, it is an international organisation working for seamless, pan-European air traffic management. EUROCONTROL is a civil organisation and currently has 39 member states; its headquarters are in...
(EUROCONTROL) is also located on the airport.
Pre-World War II
Plans for an airport in southern LimburgLimburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
date back as far as 1919, with various locations being considered. Years of debate between various municipalities over the location and funding of the airport delayed its construction. In July 1939 the Limburg provincial government agreed to financially back the airport, however, the start of World War II meant the plans were put on hold once more.
Advanced Landing Ground Y-44
After the allied invasion of Normandy, the USAAFUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
, specifically the IX Engineer Command, was tasked with constructing temporary airfields close to the advancing front
Front (military)
A military front or battlefront is a contested armed frontier between opposing forces. This can be a local or tactical front, or it can range to a theater...
. The area around Maastricht was liberated in 1944. In October 1944, the advance headquarters of the XIX Tactical Air Command and the 84th and 303rd Fighter Wings were moved to Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
to keep up with the Ninth Army.
Because of the proximity to the new headquarters, the decision was made to create a temporary airfield between the towns of Beek
Beek
Beek is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality of Beek has two railway stations - Beek-Elsloo railway station in the west, and Spaubeek railway station in the east of the municipality...
, Geulle
Geulle
Geulle is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Meerssen, about 8 km southwest of Geleen.Geulle was a separate municipality until 1982, when it was merged with Meerssen.-External links:*...
and Ulestraten
Ulestraten
Ulestraten is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Meerssen. It is surrounded by several forests.Ulestraten was a separate municipality until 1982, when it was merged with Meerssen....
. Several orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s which had suffered damage from a tank battle were commandeered and cleared. Rubble from the nearby town of Geleen
Geleen
Geleen is a city in the southern part of the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. With 33,960 inhabitants, it is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen. Geleen is situated along the river Geleenbeek, a right tributary to the river Meuse. The town centre is situated at about 60 m above sea...
, which had been unintentionally bombed in 1942, was used to level the area.
The runway was 5565 feet (1,696.2 m) and reinforced with pierced steel planks.
The field was built in less than 2 months and was operational on 22 March 1945, and was designated Y-44.
The first unit to be based at the field was the 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, flying the F-6, a reconnaissance version of the P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
. The unit arrived on 22 March 1945.
As Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
was rapidly collapsing, the front was already well into Germany by the time the field was ready, and no direct combat sorties were operated from Y-44. 31st TRS was moved to Y-80 near Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden Army Airfield
Wiesbaden Army Airfield or WAAF is located southeast of the city of Wiesbaden, Hessen, Germany. It was selected as the site for Headquarters, United States Air Forces in Europe on 28 September 1945, in large part due to its proximity to Frankfurt am Main, where the U.S. Seventh Army was...
on 19 April 1945.
Units operating at the field
- 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, F-6 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
(22 March 1945 – 19 April 1945 ) - 39th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, F-5 Lightning (2 April 1945 – 20 April 1945)
- 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group67th Network Warfare GroupThe 67th Network Warfare Group is a sub-unit under the 67th Network Warfare Wing. Headquartered on Lackland Air Force Base's Security Hill, the 67 NWG is the Air Force's premier Information Operations unit....
- 155th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (Night), F-3 (4 April 1945 – 10 July 1945)
- 387th Bombardment Group (Medium)
- 556, 557, 558 and 559th Squadrons, B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
(4 May 1945) – 30 May 1945
- 556, 557, 558 and 559th Squadrons, B-26 Marauder
After World War II
Authority over the airport was officially transferred to the Dutch government on 1 August 1945. It was decided to keep the airport open rather than re-open the pre-war debate over the location of the airport. The first civilian aircraft landed on 26 September 1945 and were operated by the Regeeringsvliegdienst, a government service with the purpose of carrying government officials and other people with urgent business, because the war had left many roads and railroads heavily damaged. The service used six de Havilland Dragon RapideDe Havilland Dragon Rapide
The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was a British short-haul passenger airliner of the 1930s.-Design and development:Designed by the de Havilland company in late 1933 as a faster and more comfortable successor to the DH.84 Dragon, it was in effect a twin-engined, scaled-down version of the...
s made available by the English government.
In 1946, the service was taken over by KLM, using DC-3 Dakotas. However, as repairs to the Dutch infrastructure progressed, demand for the service dropped and it was stopped in 1949. The first semi-permanent airport 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 completed in 1947. The runway was paved in 1949, and a second paved runway was completed in 1950. In 1951, an agreement between the airport and the Dutch Air Force allowed for rapid expansion of the facilities. Runway 04/22 was lengthened to 1,850 m, and permanent runway lighting was installed in 1960.
1950s and 1960s
The late 1950s and early 1960s brought significant expansion in commercial operations at the airport. Operators included KLM, Airnautical, Skytours, EuraviaEuravia
-History:Euravia was founded by Mr. Dennis G Mendoros, as a one-man operation, in January 1988 in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.In March 1988 Euravia moved to Barnoldswick to take advantage of the skilled engineers in the area...
, Tradair and Transair
Transair
Transair was an airline based in Canada. It was purchased by Pacific Western Airlines in 1979.- History :Transair had its origins as Central Northern Airways in April 1947 and based in Manitoba, Canada. In 1956 the name was changed to Transair...
. The airport was also used as an intermediate stop for services from London and Manchester to Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Yugoslavia. A local airline based at the airport, Limburg Airways, had a contract with the International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
for distributing the newspaper's European edition, which was printed in Paris. Limburg Airways was taken over by Martin's Air Charter (now Martinair
Martinair
For the American cargo airline, see Martinaire.Martinair Holland N.V., operating as Martinair, is an airline headquartered in the TransPort Building on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands. It operates cargo services to over 50 destinations worldwide. Services...
) in 1962.
A promotion campaign by the Dutch tourist board for the nearby town of Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the...
, aimed at British tourists, was highly successful and brought services by Invicta Airlines
Invicta International Airlines
Invicta International Airlines was a Charter Airline based at Manston Airport in the United Kingdom. It operated non-scheduled passenger and freight services between 1965 and 1982.-1960s:...
, Britannia
Britannia Airways
Britannia Airways was the largest charter airline in the United Kingdom, rebranded as Thomsonfly in 2005. Its main bases were Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow...
and Channel Airways
Channel Airways
Channel Airways was a private airline formed in the United Kingdom in 1946 as East Anglian Flying Services.The newly formed airline initially operated aerial joy rides with a single, three-seater aircraft from an airstrip on the Kent coast...
.
Domestic travel picked up as well, and newly created NLM CityHopper
NLM CityHopper
NLM CityHopper full name Nederlandse Luchtvaart Maatschappij, was a Dutch commuter airline, founded in 1966.-History:The carrier was formed as Nederlandse Luchtvaart Maatschappij in 1966...
started to operate a service between Maastricht and Amsterdam Schiphol in 1966. The service would continue after KLM acquired NLM in 1992, and would last until 2008. When it was cancelled, it was the last remaining domestic service in the Netherlands.
An ILS system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
, which allows landings in poor weather, was built in 1967, for runway 22 only.
1970s and 1980s
In 1973 the airport was expanded again to handle bigger aircraft. The main runway was lengthened to 2500m, taxiways were widened and aprons enlarged. This mostly offset the negative effects of the 1973 oil crisis1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, passenger volume remained the same and cargo operations expanded.
The international air traffic control area control centre
Area Control Center
In air traffic control, an Area Control Center , also known as a Center, is a facility responsible for controlling instrument flight rules aircraft en route in a particular volume of airspace at high altitudes between airport approaches and departures...
for EUROCONTROL was built at the airport. It started operations in 1972.
In 1983, the aging passenger terminal and air traffic control tower were replaced by new buildings The new terminal was later expanded and is still in use as of 2010.
On 14 May 1985, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
held an open air mass for 50,000 people at the airport, as part of his visit to the Netherlands.
East–west runway
In 1981, a development plan for the airport recommends constructing a 3,500m east–west runway to facilitate growth in cargo operations, particularly during the night hours. The new runway would greatly reduce noise impact over the towns of BeekBeek
Beek is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality of Beek has two railway stations - Beek-Elsloo railway station in the west, and Spaubeek railway station in the east of the municipality...
, Meerssen
Meerssen
Meerssen is a place and a municipality in southeastern Netherlands.-History:The Treaty of Meerssen was signed in Meerssen in 870. The Treaty of Meerssen was an agreement of the division of the Carolingian Empire by the surviving sons of Louis I, Charles II of the West Franks and Louis the German...
and the city of Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
. Although some night operations are allowed (including distribution of the European edition of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
), runway length limits intercontinental operations. The Dutch government initially approved plans for the runway in 1985, however, the new runway would mean increased noise over other towns and parts of Belgium, and the final decision was delayed.
As the new runway would require substantial investment, it would only be profitable if night operations were permitted and increasingly the debate became focused on whether or not night flights would be allowed. Successive cabinets could not reach a final decision, and in 1998, after some 25 years of debate and postponement, the plan was aborted altogether.
Recent developments
In July 2004, a 100% share in the airport was acquired by OmDV, a consortium of airport investment company Omniport and the construction company Dura Vermeer, making it the first fully privatised airport in the Netherlands.Substantial investments in the airport infrastructure have been made since the privatization. Between August and October 2005, the runway was resurfaced and renamed to 03/21 (from 04/22) to compensate for changes in the earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
. The airport originally had two runways; the second (shorter, 1080 m (3,543.3 ft)) runway (07/25) was closed and removed to make room for a new cargo 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....
and additional aircraft maintenance facilities. Construction of the new facilities started in April 2008.
On 7 May 2005, Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
carrying US president George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
landed at the airport. Bush visited the Netherlands American Cemetery
Netherlands American Cemetery
The World War II Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial is a war cemetery which lies in the village of Margraten six miles east of Maastricht, in the most southern part of the Netherlands...
in nearby Margraten
Margraten
-History:In Margraten is the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Europe's third largest war cemetery for unidentified soldiers who died in World War II. 8,301 soldiers are buried there under long rows of white crosses and stars of David. All graves are adopted by locals, who attend the...
the next day.
The instrument landing system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
(ILS) for runway 21 was upgraded to category III in 2008, which allows landings in very low visibility conditions. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the only other airport in the Netherlands that has category III ILS.
In march 2011, the airport was certified to handle the upcoming Boeing 747-8
Boeing 747-8
The Boeing 747-8 is a wide-body jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Officially announced in 2005, the 747-8 is the fourth-generation Boeing 747 version, with lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings and improved efficiency...
, as two of the airports major airlines Cargolux
Cargolux
Cargolux Airlines International S.A., trading as Cargolux, is a cargo airline with its head office on the grounds of Luxembourg – Findel Airport in Sandweiler, Luxembourg. It is one of the largest scheduled all-cargo airlines in Europe with a global network...
and AirBridge Cargo
AirBridge Cargo
AirBridgeCargo Airlines, LLC is a cargo airline and subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr Airlines based in Moscow, Russia. It operates scheduled cargo services on routes between Asia, Europe and North America...
have placed orders for this aircraft.
Aircraft movements
The number of aircraft movements decreased significantly between 2005 and 2007 compared to previous years because the flight school, Nationale Luchtvaart School, which was based at the airport, moved all flight operations to ÉvoraÉvora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
in Portugal. In the summer of 2007, flight training at the airport resumed as the Stella Aviation Academy moved into the facilities previously used by the NLS.
In 2009, there were a total of 40,621 aircraft movements, up 13.9% from 2008.
In 2008, there were a total of 35,668 aircraft movements, up 83.4% from 2007.
In 2007, there were a total of 19,454 aircraft movements, up 35% from 2006.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Cargo
Ground transport connections
- The airport is located along motorway A2A2 motorway (Netherlands)The A2 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. It is one of the busiest highways in the Netherlands. The road connects the city of Amsterdam, near the interchange Amstel, with the Belgian border, near Maastricht and Liège , and the Belgian road A25....
, exit 50. - The nearest railway station is Beek-Elsloo railway stationBeek-Elsloo railway stationBeek-Elsloo is a railway station located in Elsloo and near Beek, The Netherlands. The station was opened in 1862 and is located on the Maastricht–Venlo railway...
. There is bus service (line 59), operated by Veolia, running between Sittard and Maastricht. This line also covers transport between station and airport. - Taxis are available at the airport.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground
External links
- Maastricht Aachen Airport, official site
- MST aviation, an aircraft spotter site for MAA
- aviation compentence centre an aircraft maintenance school, part of Leeuwenborgh opleidingen, located on the airport
- Omniport Dura Vermeer
- Photos taken at Maastricht Aachen Airport from Airliners.netAirliners.netAirliners.net is an aviation website founded by Johan Lundgren, Sweden, in 1997, evolving from his previous Pictures of Modern Airliners site started in 1994...
- Report on largest ever horse flight from Maastricht Aachen Airport