Alula Aba Nega Airport
Airport in Mekelle, Tigray Region, Ethiopia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alula Aba Nega Airport (IATA: MQX, ICAO: HAMK), also known as Mekelle Airport, is a public airport serving Mekelle, the capital city of the Tigray Region in northern Ethiopia. The airport is located 10 km (6 miles) southeast of the city.[2]
Alula Aba Nega Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Ethiopian Airports Enterprise | ||||||||||
| Serves | Mekelle, Ethiopia | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 7,403 ft (2,256 m) | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 13°28′02″N 039°32′00″E | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  Alula Aba Nega Airport Location in Ethiopia (Tigray region in red) | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Sources:[1] | |||||||||||
History
This airport was built in the late 1990s, to replace an older one located 7 km (4 miles) from Mekelle. The airport was named after the 19th century Ethiopian military leader Ras Alula, also known as Alula Aba Nega.[2] He is well known for his battles against Italy, the Ottoman Turks, Egypt and the Battle of Adwa. When the airport first opened, it had one unpaved runway that was 3,000 metres (9,843 feet) long, with 21 flights to Addis Ababa, 4 to Shire and 2 to Humera.[3]
Facilities
The airport lies at an elevation of 7,406 feet (2,257 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 11/29 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,604 by 43 metres (11,824 ft × 141 ft).[1]
Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Ethiopian Airlines | Addis Ababa[4] |
Accidents and incidents
- On 22 August 1982, a Douglas DC-3 ET-AHP of Ethiopian Airlines was damaged beyond repair in a take-off accident.[5]
- On 18 January 2024, an Ethiopian Airlines Dash-8 crash-landed at the airport, with its left main landing gear collapsing and the left engine prop striking the runway.[6][7]
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