Stavanger Airport, Sola

Stavanger Airport, Sola
Name	Stavanger Airport, Sola
IATA	SVG
ICAO	ENZV
Owner	Avinor
Operator	Avinor
City-served	Stavanger
Location	Sola
Elevation-f	29
Coordinates	58, 52, 36, N...
Website	https://avinor.no/en/airport/stavanger-airport/
R1-number	18/36
R1-length-m	2,556
R1-length-f	8,386
R1-surface	Asphalt
R2-number	11/29
R2-length-m	2,444
R2-length-f	8,018
R2-surface	Asphalt
Stat-year	2023
Stat1-header	Passengers
Stat1-data	4,999,000
Stat2-header	Aircraft movements
Stat2-data	100,000
Stat3-header	Cargo (tonnes)
Stat3-data	4,000

Stavanger Airport, Sola. It is the primary international airport serving the Stavanger region in Rogaland county, Norway. Owned and operated by the state-owned Avinor, the airport is a critical hub for the energy industry and a major gateway to the North Sea oil and gas fields. Located in the municipality of Sola, it features two runways and handles significant passenger, cargo, and helicopter traffic.

History

The origins of Stavanger Airport, Sola date to the 1930s, when the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service established a seaplane base at the site. The first official airport opened in 1937, making it one of Norway's oldest operational airports. During the Second World War, the facility was seized and significantly expanded by German Luftwaffe forces, who constructed hardened runways and bunkers as part of the Atlantic Wall defenses. After the war, it was rebuilt and modernized for civilian use, with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) commencing regular services. The rise of the Ekofisk discovery in the late 1960s transformed the airport into a vital logistical center for the burgeoning offshore sector, leading to major terminal expansions and the establishment of dedicated helicopter operations for crew changes.

Facilities

The airport operates two parallel Asphalt runways, designated 18/36 and 11/29, both equipped for ILS approaches. The main passenger terminal, expanded in 2005 and 2012, features modern check-in halls, security checkpoints, and a spacious airside pier with jet bridges. A separate, extensive complex on the west side houses the heliport facilities for CHC, Bristow, and NHV, serving numerous North Sea installations like the Troll and Johan Sverdrup fields. Other key infrastructure includes a large cargo terminal, extensive aircraft parking aprons, and maintenance hangars operated by companies such as Widerøe and Norwegian Air Shuttle.

Airlines and destinations

The airport functions as a base for Widerøe and Norwegian Air Shuttle, offering a dense network of domestic flights to destinations including Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim. Major international carriers include SAS, KLM, and Lufthansa, providing direct routes to key European hubs like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt. Seasonal leisure traffic is served by airlines such as Ryanair and Norwegian Air Shuttle to destinations in Southern Europe. The heliport operations connect directly to offshore installations operated by Equinor, ConocoPhillips, and Aker BP.

Statistics

In 2023, Stavanger Airport, Sola handled approximately 4,999,000 passengers, making it Norway's third-busiest airport by passenger volume after Gardermoen and Flesland. Annual aircraft movements exceed 100,000, encompassing both fixed-wing and helicopter operations. Cargo throughput, heavily linked to the offshore sector, was around 4,000 tonnes. The airport is a critical employer in the Jæren region, with major tenants including Avinor, Widerøe, and the Royal Norwegian Air Force, which maintains a presence at the adjacent Sola Air Station.

Ground transportation

The airport is connected to downtown Stavanger, approximately 11 kilometers away, by the E39 highway. Frequent bus services are operated by Kolumbus on routes to Stavanger city center, Sandnes, and Bryne. The Flybussen airport express coach provides direct transfers to major hotels and the Stavanger University Hospital. Taxi services and rental car companies, including Avis and Hertz, are available at the terminal forecourt. There is no direct rail link, with the nearest train station being Stavanger Station.

Accidents and incidents

The airport has experienced several notable accidents. In 1961, a SAS Caravelle crashed during a training flight, resulting in fatalities. A significant helicopter accident occurred in 1997 when a Super Puma from Helikopter Service crashed near the Fjordane coast, though it was en route from Sola. In 2006, a Widerøe Dash 8 overran runway 18 during a storm, causing substantial damage but no serious injuries. These events have influenced Norwegian aviation safety regulations, particularly concerning offshore helicopter operations.

Category:Airports in Norway Category:Buildings and structures in Rogaland Category:1937 establishments in Norway