| Stockholm-Bromma Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: BMA - ICAO: ESSB | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Luftfartsverket | ||
| Serves | Stockholm | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 47 ft (14 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 12/30 | 5,472 | 1,668 | Asphalt |
Stockholm-Bromma Airport (IATA: BMA, ICAO: ESSB) is an airport in Stockholm, Sweden. It opened in 1936 and was the first airport in Europe to have paved runways. The airport terminal and parking have recently undergone renovations. Stockholm-Bromma Airport is the major hub for Swedish airlines Malmö Aviation and Sverigeflyg.
Contents |
History
During the 1930s the need for a proper airport for Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden, became urgent. The airport was opened in 1936 by King Gustav V, and was the first airport with asphalt runways in Europe and one of few in the world. During the second world war Swedish and British aircraft flew to the United Kingdom from Bromma airport. Since these flights sometimes carried Norwegian and Danish refugees the airport became of interest for German spies and two aircraft that had taken off from Bromma were shot down by the Germans during the war. After the war the airport flourished, two noted airlines that operated from the airport were Aktiebolaget Aerotransport (ABA) which subsequently became the Swedish partner in Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and Linjeflyg (the Swedish main domestic airline which was later acquired by SAS). However the runway of Bromma was too short for intercontinental traffic in the 1950-ies, and the capacity limit of Bromma could be seen, therefore the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport was built. With the opening of the Arlanda Airport in 1960-1962, all international traffic moved there, and the domestic traffic followed in 1983. Bromma became the domain of business jets, general aviation and flight schools in addition to government use of the facility. Several of the old hangars were separated from the airport area and turned into an outdoors shopping center adjacent to the airport. With the start of operations by Malmö Aviation with services to Gothenburg, Malmö and London City Airport the airport has experienced something of a renaissance. In 2002 a new control tower was put into use on Ranhammarshöjden and the terminal which had become rundown after years of use was completely renovated. The airport underwent further improvements in 2005 and is now capable of separating passengers arriving from within and outside of the Schengen area.
Future
Expansion of the airport is limited by noise issues, a lack of space, and the necessity to preserve the cultural heritage (the airport buildings). With the completion of the third runway at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport there is a capacity surplus at that airport, and there is wide support for using the land occupied by Bromma airport for residential and commercial purposes. Bromma's main advantage over the much larger Stockholm-Arlanda Airport was its proximity to the center of Stockholm (about 8 km or 5 miles). However, Arlanda's fast rail link, completed in 1999, means that Bromma's competitive edge in this regard has been lost. Both airports are now 20 minutes from the Central Station. However, Bromma airport remains popular with both airlines and passengers. It is Sweden's third largest airport (2006) in terms of passengers, and third largest in terms of take-offs and landings, after Stockholm-Arlanda and Göteborg-Landvetter.
Environmental issues
When the airport opened in 1936 the surrounding area was mostly rural, however as the city has expanded noise has become an issue. Therefore certain measures have been put in place, such as limiting airport operations to the daytime, limiting the type of commercial aircraft which are allowed to operate from the airport and soundproofing residential homes near the airport. There has also been a suggestion of denying general aviation and flight schools use of the airport, in order to lessen the impact on the surrounding community.
Ground transportation
Car rental
The following car rental firms have offices at the airport:
Bus
- Buss 110 and 152 of Storstockholms Lokaltrafik stop at the airport or have a bus stop in close proximity to the airport. Travel time to central Stockholm is usually 30 minutes.
- Airport coaches travel directly between Stockholm-Bromma Airport and the City Terminal (approx. 20 min travel time) where airport coaches and a high speed train (Arlanda Express) connects to Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. There are also airport coaches to Stockholm-Skavsta Airport.
Taxi
- There is a taxi stand at the airport, and the proximity to central Stockholm usually ensures that the availability is sufficient at most times.
Airport parking
- There is parking at the airport, both at the terminal, short-term and long-term parking lots. Terminal parking costs 45 Swedish kronor/h and is limited to one hour, while short-term and long-term parking is slightly less expensive depending on the length of time. The parking lots are manages by the airport authority Luftfartsverket.
Facilities
Airport opening hours for air traffic:
- Monday - Friday 07:00 - 22:00, Saturday 09:00 - 17:00, Sunday 10:00 - 20:00.
Terminal opening hours:
- Monday - Friday 05:30 - 22:00, Saturday 08:00 - 17:00, Sunday 09:00 - 20:00.
(Note that businesses at the airport can have other opening hours.)
Businesses and services:
- Shops:
- Pressbyrån (newspapers, etc.)
- Flying Veterans Flight Shop (a shop for airplane enthusiasts).
- Air Freight (Jetpak)
- GA Handling (Grafair Jet Center)
- Lost and Found (Luftfartsverket)
- Hotels (located outside of the airport):
- Flyghotellet
- Mornington Hotel
- Scandic Hotel
- Ulfsunda slott
- Restaurants:
- Forno Romano (a la carte and pizza)
Airlines
- Blekingeflyg
- Operated by Avitrans Nordic (Ronneby)
- British Airways
- Operated by Sun Air of Scandinavia (Århus)
- Brussels Airlines (Brussels)
- City Airline (Kristianstad)
- Gotlandsflyg
- Operated by Skyways Express (Visby)
- Kalmarplanet (Kalmar)
- Kullaflyg
- Operated by Golden Air (Ängelholm)
- Malmö Aviation (Gothenburg-Landvetter, Malmö, Umeå)
- Stockholmsplanet
- Operated by Avitrans Nordic (Palanga, Ronneby, Växjö)
- Sundsvallsflyg
- Operated by Golden Air (Skyways Express)
- Vildanden (Skien in Norway)
Accidents
- On 18 February 1951 a RAF Vickers Valetta with 22 passengers and crew on a military flight suffered a failure of the No. 2 engine and radio problems while near Stockholm-Bromma Airport. Smoke was also seen coming from beneath the floor of the rear of the cabin. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing at the airport, however due to poor alignment with the runway and poor weather caused the aircraft to overshoot the runway. The aircraft climbed very poorly due to effects of airframe icing and the pilot made a forced belly landing on a clearing on high ground. One person was killed and the aircraft totally destroyed.
- On 1 April 1951 a Scandinavian Airlines Douglas DC-3 on a flight from Copenhagen Kastrup Airport to Stockholm-Bromma Airport crash-landed in a field near Stockholm-Bromma Airport. None of the 18 passengers or 4 crew members were killed, but the aircraft was a write-off.
- on January 15 1977 an airplane on a scheduled flight crashed in a residential area during approach in the Kälvesta air disaster, killing 22 people. The cause was related to ice on the wings.
Trivia
- An urban myth has it that in the system used by the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration Stockholm-Arlanda Airport and Stockholm-Bromma Airport are regarded as the same unit; terminal 1 is located at Bromma and terminals 2 - 5 are at Arlanda. The truth is that they wanted to keep number 2 and 3 when terminal 1 was renumbered into terminal 4. The reason for the renumbering was that todays no 5 was just called "international", and when no 2 was started be used for international flights, something must change. Also number 1 was reserved for a planned terminal. The next terminal will instead be placed beyond no 5. However, after the renovation currently taking place at Arlanda the present ambiguity will disappear and Arlanda's terminals will be called N and S.
- The airport is great for aircraft spotting, depending on which runway is in use (the prevailing winds) there are ample opportunities to watch aircraft landing or departing. Especially when runway 30 is in use one can either watch from the viewing area at the airport, from the hill adjacent to the airport terminal or by standing on the sidewalk by the threshold to either runway 12 or 30 (all locations are outside of the airport perimeter, but as there are public roads running close to both runway ends the aircraft pass quite close overhead). Or one could just take a beer in Sky City, watching planes.
See also
- Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
- Stockholm-Skavsta Airport
- Stockholm-Västerås Airport
- Swedish Civil Aviation Administration
- Bromma borough, Stockholm
- List of the largest airports in the Nordic countries
External links
- Bromma Airport - official website
- Airport information for ESSB at World Aero Data
