About the airport

History of the Brno-Turany Airport

1946

the decision to build a new airport in Brno-Turany was made

1954

facilities put into operation as a public airport with a military operations

1958

official opening of traffic on runway, length 2,000 m

1965–1970

the highest traffic figures in domestic scheduled air traffic (due to non-existent high-quality and rapid ground transport); in the absence of high-quality and rapid ground transport, connections were provided by Czechoslovak Airlines, namely to Kosice, Sliac, Bratislava, Ostrava, Holesov, Prague, and Karlovy Vary.

1967

construction of a new terminal building; ILS beacons system of precise approach installed

1978

runway extended to 2,650 m

1986

Passenger terminal building expanded

1982–1992

airport operated by the Ministry of Defence

1989–1992

reconstruction of runway and electric network

1991

military air traffic was discontinued

1992

the Czech Airports Authority takes over the airport from the Ministry of Defence, in August it receives a license to operate a public international transport; the airport launches civil traffic after several years of decline

1995

for the first time since the 1970s, the number of 100,000 passengers per year is exceeded

1997

May, the first International Flying Day in modern history of the airport; the first landing of a Boeing 747 in the history of the airport

2000

inauguration of scheduled air traffic, a joint venture of the City of Brno, BVV and CSA on the route Prague-Brno; operation terminated on 30 March 2001

2002

since 1 July, the airport has been privately managed by LETIĹ TÄš BRNO a.s., founded for the purpose of operating and developing the Brno-Turany Airport; the airport premises are still under the ownership of the state

2004

On 1 July 2004, the airport is passed into the ownership of the South Moravian Region; LETIĹ TÄš BRNO a.s. continues to operate the airport

2005

inaugural flight Brno - London by Ryanair

2006

construction of a new terminal building

2008

renovation of the old terminal building; the number of 500,000 passengers per year is exceeded.

2009

visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Brno

2011

the highest number of handled passengers in the history of the airport - 557,952

History of Brno airports

The history of Brno airports dates back to 1923, when the Ministry of public works began paying attention to establishment of a state airport. The plot of Cernovice municipality was chosen as the best place where the airport should be located.

The first aircraft called Farman - Goliath having the maximum capacity of 12 passengers landed at this airport on 23^rd May 1926. Another aircraft, called De Havilland bearing the registration of L-BAHE and having four passengers on board, came from Prague the next day in the morning and landed in Brno. That day has been considered as the very beginning of the air transport to Brno.

Regular post flights were launched the next year, operating from Brno to Glivice - Wroclaw - Berlin, and from Brno to Vienna. Air transport for the capital of the South Moravian Region became more important between 1927 and 1930. Brno became directly connected to Prague, Bratislava, Kosice, Zlin, Piestany, Uzhgorod, Cluj, Bucharest, Sarajevo and Zagreb. As the economic recession and its consequences became real and evident in 1931, all international flights were, nevertheless, canceled for political reasons in 1935. At that point, Brno Airport's importance (whose capacity was the second biggest inCzechoslovakia, just after Prague) started to decline. It dropped to the position of the third most important airport in Czechoslovakia (it was overtakenby Bratislava). The occupation period starting in 1938 meant the end of the first stage of Brno aviation.

Regular flights to Prague and other cities within the former Czechoslovak Republic were relaunched after the Second World War. As brand new aircraft technologies had developed, the grass area of Cernovice airport became insufficient. The regional authority in Brno already started negotiating a brand new airport establishment within the plot of Turany municipality before the Second World War broke out. Being well located, Brno was supposed to play a significant role in air transportation. It was also supposed to serve as an alternative airport for Prague and Bratislava. Construction of the brand new airport facilities started after 1950. It was financed mostly by the Civil Aviation Authority. A new check-in hall was built in 1967, and since 1972, the existing airport area was continually extended. After 1^st January 1982, the airport was under control of the Ministry of Defence and Armed forces. Civil flights were operated during exhibitions and fairs taking place at the BVV Trade Fairs Brno in those days. In 1986, the check-in hall and related facilities were completed. As Brno - Turany airport had become more interesting and more important from the international point of view, it obtained the legal status of a public international airport in 1989.

The airport was run and maintained by the Czech Aviation Authority between 1^st January 1991 and 30^th June 2002. The Czech Aviation Authority was established as a public non-profit organisation. However, in 1995, it was transformed into a state-owned enterprise. At that time, the Czech Aviation Authority ran four airports within the Czech Republic: - Prague Airport, Ostrava Airport, Karlovy Vary Airport and Brno Airport. It spent more than CZK 160 million for maintenance of the airport facilities between 1992 and 2001. Furthermore, it invested CZK 100 million in the airport development during the same period.

The founder of the Czech Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Transport, launched a pilot project in 2001. The project was aimed at Brno-Turany airport operation and was based on a public-private partnership. LETIÅ TÄš BRNO (BRNO AIRPORT) started operating the airport as a joint stock company on 1^st July 2002. It had the following responsibilities: sustainable operation of the airport and relevant aviation services, maintenance and development of the airport following current aviation needs. Brno-Turany Airport has become the property of the South Moravian Region on the basis of Act No. 166/2004 of the Col., on 1^st July 2004.

On 23 March 2005, Ryanair started serving Brno from London with scheduled flights. In the same year, the founding stone of the new terminal building was laid. The construction project was co-financed by the European Union. The building itself was completed after 364 days from the laying of the foundation stone, 18 September 2006. In 2007 the building won the "Building of the Year" award.