While we often write about the trial and tribulations of operating flights out of the world's highest airports, like Daocheng Yading Airport (DCY) in China and El Alto International Airport (LPB) in Bolivia, today, we will look at the world's lowest commercial airport.
When measuring elevation, the lowest point we start with is sea level. It is the standard level used to measure atmospheric pressure that aircraft use to calibrate their altitude. Landing and taking off at high altitudes are problematic because the air is so thin. Because of this, the airports need to have long runways. This is less of a problem at or below sea level, but there can be problems with aircraft electronics and GPS connections because they are calibrated to work above sea level rather than below.
The world's lowest airport is close to the Dead Sea
Before we talk about the lowest commercial airport in the world, it is worth mentioning that some aerodromes are at a lower altitude than Atyrau Airport (GUW) in Kazakhstan. The first, at minus 1,266 feet, is Israel's Bar Yehuda Airfield (MTZ), a desert airfield next to the Dead Sea.
The second-lowest airport on earth at a height of minus 208 feet is Furnace Creek Airport (DTH) in Death Valley, California. The following two lowest altitude airports are also in California, Cliff Hatfield Memorial Airport (CLR) at minus 182 feet, Brawley Municipal Airport (BWC) at minus 128 feet, and Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM) at minus 114 feet.
Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea
Moving away from the United States to the landlocked Central Asia country of Kazakhstan is where we find the sixth-lowest airport on the planet. At an altitude of 72 feet below sea level, Atyrau Airport (GUW) is the lowest commercial airport on the earth.
Located on a flat grassy plain that surrounds the city of Atyrau, GUW is one of 13 international airports in Kazakhstan. What makes GRU so unique and essential to the country is its proximity to the Caspian Sea. Bordering Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, the Caspian Sea encompasses 143,000 square miles, an area slightly larger than the size of Germany.
It's all about oil and gas
Besides being the home to the beluga sturgeon and its expensive caviar, the land beneath the sea is rich in oil and gas. Crucial to Kazakhstan's economy, Atyrau Airport (GUW) is central to transporting workers to and from the gas and oil fields and an essential gateway for supplies and equipment.
IIn 2007 a new terminal was built to handle as many as 600 passengers an hour. At the same time, the airport also lengthened its asphalt/concrete 14/32 runway to a length of 9,843 feet. While the airport is modern, with passenger lounges and WiFi throughout, it does not use jet bridges. Because of this, passengers need to be transported to and from the aircraft by bus.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Atyrau Airport (GUW) was the 5th busiest airport in Kazakhstan, handling just under a million passengers a year. Airlines currently serving Atyrau Airport (GUW) include the following:
- Aeroflot (Moscow–Sheremetyevo)
- Air Astana ( Almaty, Amsterdam, Astana, Istanbul)
- FlyArystan ( Aktau, Aktobe, Almaty, Astana, Karagandy, Kostanay, Kutaisi, Kyzylorda, Oral, Shymkent)
- Qazaq Air ( Aktau, Aktobe, Oral)
- Rossiya Airlines (Sochi)
- SCAT Airlines ( Aktau, Astana,Ras Al Khaimah,Turkistan