Radom 2023-05-25
Warsaw – Radom Airport.
Geographic coordinates: 51.388N 21.212E. Elevation 186 m.
In its 2023 forecast, the International Air Transport Association IATA estimated that in 2026, the airport in Radom will serve about 1 million passengers, and in 2030, about 1.5 million people. Let us remember that the area of Radom, Kielce, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Skarżysko Kamienna; this is an aviation desert. There are several million inhabitants of the Republic of Poland to be served, who also deserve the opportunity to take an air holiday.
2018 year.
On July 19, 2018, the company Port Lotniczy Radom filed for bankruptcy. It was a move towards the takeover of the airport by a large company. The application was approved. As a result, the Radom Airport was taken over by Przedsiębiorstwo Państwowe "Porty Lotnicze" for the amount of approximately PLN 13 million. The Management Board of PP "Porty Lotnicze" has decided that the airport in Radom will be a backup airport for the Warsaw Chopin Airport at Okęcie. At that time, the official name of the airport in Radom was changed to "Warsaw – Radom Airport named after the Heroes of Radom June 1976". The presence of the capital in the name is to attract tourists and residents of Warsaw to the airport.
Of course, there were voices of dissatisfaction. Opponents of this decision alleged that it was economically unjustified and that the decision was made only for political reasons. In the Masonic media there were even words that offended the rulers (United Right). Well, let’s recall; The boys from Gdańsk built a Gdynia – Kosakowo terminal, which did not serve a single passenger, and the European Union ordered to return European funds. However, the Warsaw-Radom airport is operational.
A decision was made to expand the airport in Radom to adapt it to handle larger passenger traffic. The following investments were made: extension of the RWY, construction of a new terminal, construction of a new flight control tower, construction of a new LSP depot and installation of new radio and navigation equipment.
On January 1, 2019, the airport was closed to civil aircraft traffic. The expansion of the airport lasted until spring 2022. The cost of all investments, according to various calculations, amounted to PLN 550 – 700 million.
New terminal.
A new terminal was built. The terminal is a solid, which is the letter "T" in the base. The top of this letter is the main building of the departures and arrivals hall. There are bus stops and car parks in front of it. There are 700 parking spaces for passenger cars for travelers. Currently (2023), parking is temporarily free. The bottom of the letter "T" is the building of waiting rooms, duty free shops and gates leading to/from aircraft. There are five platform stands on one side and three platform stands on the other. The stands are adapted to service Boeing B.737, Airbus A.320 and smaller Embraer E.170 – E.195 aircraft. In addition, there is a parking space for Boeing B.787 aircraft. The terminal is one of the most modern facilities of this type in Poland. There are 30 check-in counters inside. The entire building is black on the outside and black and white on the inside. Even the armchairs in the waiting rooms are black. The terminal is spacious and moving around is not a problem. We will not get lost. Currently (2023), the terminal is adapted to handle up to 3 million passengers a year, with the possibility of expansion to 9 million passengers. On August 27, 2022, PPL received the terminal building from the general contractor.
RWY was extended to 2,500 m by adding sections from both ends. RWY is 45 m wide, with additional safety belts. Asphalt concrete surface. The main navigation aid is the precision landing system (ILS) category II ILS, which allows landing based on the indications of the aircraft’s on-board instruments, with horizontal visibility up to 300 m. Radom Airport is the first in Poland to have a runway lighting system based entirely on LED technology.
The airport code has not been changed ICAO – RDO.
Photo description: Construction of a new air traffic control tower and LSP depot.
Photo description: Construction of the RWY.
Opening of the airport.
On April 28, 2023, the official opening of the airport took place. The ceremony was attended, among others, by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
In August 2022, LOT Polish Airlines announced that flights to Rome and Paris will be launched from May 2023. Flights to Copenhagen were also possible. Travel agencies have announced that they also include charter flights from Radom in their offer. On April 28, 2023, LOT Polish Airlines inaugurated flights from Radom to Rome. On the same day, the first flight to Paris took off. Both routes were a transfer of selected connections from the Okęcie airport. In the first three weeks, the port handled 5,400 travelers. Seat occupancy was 80.64%. Weekly there were 12 – 14 air operations. PLL LOT announced that from June 2023, flights to Preveza (Greece) and Tirana will be launched. Current return fares: Paris (CDG) from £99. Rome (FCO) from £125. Varna (VAR) from £195 (from August 2023). Preveza (PVK) from £295 (from September 2023).
Warsaw is approximately 105 kilometers away from Radom. There are three ways to get to the Warsaw-Radom Airport. First of all, with your own car, and it is worth noting that the airport offers, at the initial stage, free parking lots. The second one is a company bus that connects the Okęcie airport with the airport in Radom. Its courses are adapted to aviation operations in Radom. Third, by PKP train. There are two bus lines to the airport from the railway station in Radom.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman