Kamuzu International Airport

Kamuzu International Airport (IATA: LLW, ICAO: FWKI), also known as Lilongwe International Airport, is an international airport serving Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi.

Lilongwe International Airport
Kamuzu International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerDepartment of Civil Aviation
ServesLilongwe, Malawi
Hub forMalawi Airlines
Elevation AMSL4,035 ft / 1,230 m
Coordinates13°47′21″S 033°46′51″E
Map
LLW is located in Malawi
LLW
LLW
Location in Malawi
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
14/32 3,540 11,614 Asphalt
Statistics (2009)
Passengers296,190
Source: DAFIF[1][2]

History

The airport was built in 1977 by the Nello L. Teer Company,[3] taking over most airline operations from Old Lilongwe Airport (FWLE) some 6 km west of the city centre. It is owned by Airport Developments Limited. British Airways ceased flights to London via Nairobi in March 2004.[4]

In August 2014 the Government of Malawi requested assistance from the Government of Japan to rehabilitate the passenger terminal buildings and install a more advanced air surveillance system, ADS-B at the airport.[5] The rehabilitation project was scheduled to run for 33 months and included expansion of the International terminal, rehabilitation of the existing terminal building, and installation of security and aerial surveillance systems. The work was conducted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and in April 2019 the new terminal buildings were handed over to the Government of Malawi. [6]

Facilities

The airport is at an elevation of 4,035 feet (1,230 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 14/32 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,540 by 45 metres (11,614 ft × 148 ft).[1]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Airlink Johannesburg–OR Tambo (begins 23 September 2023)[7]
Ethiopian Airlines Addis Ababa
Kenya Airways Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta
Malawi Airlines Blantyre, Dar es Salaam, Harare, Johannesburg–OR Tambo, Lusaka, Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta[8]
Proflight Zambia Lusaka, Mfuwe[9]
South African Airways Johannesburg–OR Tambo[10]
Ulendo Airlink Likoma Island, Mfuwe, Monkey Bay[11]

Cargo
AirlinesDestinations
Astral Aviation Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta[12]
Emirates SkyCargo Dubai–Al Maktoum,[13] Nairobi–Jomo Kenyatta

Accidents and incidents

Kamuzu International Airport has been the site of a small number of aviation related incidents since its opening.

2023
22 August
A Cessna 150 operating for Eastrise Aviation, a pilot training institute based at KIA, was conducting a training flight with two occupants outbound from KIA. Approximately 14 minutes after takeoff, the pilot contacted air traffic control and informed them that they were experiencing an emergency and requested clearance for immediate landing. Clearance was granted and the pilot attempted to glide towards the airport but crashed about 1.2 kilometers short of the runway. Both occupants escaped unharmed and there were no casualties. The subsequent investigation determined that the cause of the accident was engine failure. Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft produced a thudding sound as it crashed and was covered in a cloud of dust. The aircraft suffered damage to its nose, wheels, propellers and wings but the cabin was intact.[14]

References
  1. Airport information for FWKI from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  2. Airport information for LLW at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  3. "Nello L. Teer Company - Image Gallery". Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  4. "[British Airways notice on flights to Lilongwe]". British Airways. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  5. "KIA Expansion Project" (PDF). Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  6. "Japan to hand over new Kamuzu International Airport terminal building to Malawi". Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  7. "Airlink Adds Two Malawian Flights From September".
  8. "Nairobi Flights will be available from 4 August 2021". Facebook. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  9. "ProFlight Zambia Adds Mfuwe – Lilongwe Sector From June 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  10. "South African Airways March 2023 Network Additions". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  11. 2015/2016 timetable, "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. "EX – NAIROBI SCHEDULE". Astral Aviation. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  13. "Emirates SkyCargo Freighter Operations get ready for DWC move". Emirates SkyCargo. 2 April 2014.
  14. "Training Aircraft Crashes Near KIA". Retrieved 22 August 2023.
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