Toulouse Blagnac Airport
Toulouse Airport is officially named Aéroport Toulouse-Blagnac, and is only 8km to the north-west of Toulouse city. It’s airport code is TLS. Toulouse Airport is considered to be an important gateway to the Midi-Pyrenees region in France. The airport lies just south of Blagnac within the Haute-Garonne area.
Toulouse Airport began operation as a civil and commercial airfield in 1928. The nearby southerly factories of the St-Martin-du-Touch made frequent use of the airport. Toulouse Airport suffered damage during World War II, but was mostly repaired and renovated by the late 1940’s. From this time onwards, the airport was continuously improved and expanded. In 1953, the passenger terminal was built. Two decades later the runway had been lengthened to accommodate larger aircraft, and the terminal building was improved. More recently, Toulouse Airport has expanded it’s parking areas with a new covered parking garage and an economy parking area.
This is an international airport that offers arrivals and departures for many different airline carriers. The original terminal building is a two-storey structure handling arrivals on the ground level and departures from the upper level. It is complete with all the necessary amenities required for banking, currency exchange, business services, internet access, postal services, luggage services, shopping and dining. Some of the airlines that serve the airport are Air France, Air Malta, British Airways, easyJet, Germanwings, Lufthansa, KLM, Iberia and Twin Jet.
Toulouse Airport is the busiest airport in Languedoc (southwestern France), and in France, it is ranked as the fifth busiest. Passengers that pass through the airport average at around six million per year. There are two runways that can handle all types of aircraft, including the Airbus 380. Runway 14L/32R is 3,000m and runway 14R/32L is 3,500m.
The airport is currently undergoing expansion work that will enable passenger traffic to increase to 11 million by 2012. This expansion is know as the Grand Travaux 2009 (grand works 2009). The four main projects include the construction of Hall D for domestic and international flights, improvements to the baggage handling systems in Halls B and C, refurbishment of Hall B, and a new retail area in Hall B.
The new Hall D will be approximately 40,000 square meters with 24 check-in desks, 13 departure gates and 8 security inspection points. The first phase of this development was completed earlier in 2009, and the second phase is to be completed by 2012. The new constructions began in May 2006.
Refurbishment of Hall B began in 2007. The shopping area was extended by 650 square meters and there will be a new bar, new check-in desks, new signage, as well as improved lighting and décor. There was also a new walkway added to allow more terminal based boarding for passengers.
Toulouse Airport is operated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Toulouse. The airport management take considerable efforts to control noise pollution, monitor the air quality, and employ good environmental policies. Toulouse Airport has received certification for the policies of ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment), and the OHSAS for safety.
Passengers arriving at Toulouse Airport will find a mild, temperate climate with warm summers and reasonable winter temperatures. The Toulouse area is known for it’s sunshine and long summer season.