Coordinates: 17°08′12″N 061°47′35″W / 17.13667°N 61.79306°W / 17.13667; -61.79306

V. C. Bird International Airport

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V. C. Bird International Airport
File:Logo of V.C. Bird International Airport.png
File:V.C. Bird International Airport.png
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorAntigua and Barbuda Airport Authority
ServesSt. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
LocationOsbourn, Antigua and Barbuda
Hub for
Elevation AMSL62 ft / 19 m
CoordinatesLua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Websitehttp://vcbia.com
Map
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Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
07/25 3,038 9,967 Asphalt
Statistics (2018)
Passengers981,159
Passenger change 17-18NA
Aircraft movements38,305
Movements change 17-18NA
Source: DAFIF,[1][2] 2009 World Airport Traffic Report.[3]

V. C. Bird International Airport (IATA: ANU, ICAO: TAPA) is an international airport located on the island of Antigua, 8 km (5.0 mi) northeast of St. John's, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda.

History

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File:VC Bird International Airport (5916099180).jpg
The former terminal, now used as offices, but occasionally has general aviation-related flights.

The airport originally was operated by the United States Army Air Forces.

The airport was built as a United States Army Air Forces base around 1941 and named Coolidge Airfield after Capt. Hamilton Coolidge (1895–1918), a United States Army Air Service pilot killed in World War I.[citation needed]

Flying units assigned to the airfield were:

Renamed Coolidge Air Force Base (Coolidge AFB) in 1948, it was closed as a result of budgetary cutbacks in 1949, with the right of re-entry retained by the United States. Agreements were subsequently reached with the United Kingdom and, later, the Antigua government upon independence, for the establishment and maintenance of missile tracking facilities. Antigua Air Station was established on a portion of the former Coolidge AFB. As of 2011, NASA continues to utilize the Antigua facility for launch tracking services on an as-needed basis; and did so for the launch of the Mars Science Laboratory on 26 November 2011.[4]

Upon the closure of the base in 1949, it became a civil airport. It was known as Coolidge International Airport until 1985 when it was named in honour of Sir Vere Cornwall Bird (1909–1999), the first prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda.[citation needed]

In December 2005, the Antigua and Barbuda Millennium Airport Corporation announced it would invite tenders to construct the first phase of a new passenger terminal designed to serve the airport for 30 years. In 2012, they announced the construction of its second terminal.[citation needed]

The new terminal became operational on 26 August 2015. All flights operate from the new facility. The terminal covers 23,000 square meters (247,570 square feet), with four jet bridges, modern security screening facilities, up-to-date passenger processing and monitoring facilities, and a CCTV security system. It contains 46 check-in counters, 15 self-check-in kiosks, 5 baggage carousels, a mini food court, multiple VIP lounges, a bank, retail stores, first-class lounges, restaurants, and other facilities. Other improvements included a newly constructed car park; parallel to the old terminal, along with other airport offices.[5]

In May 2025 it was announced that the old terminal would be renovated to support cruise home-porting operations at the harbour in St. John's. The old terminal is expected to reopen as a new second terminal in late 2025.[6]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinations
Air Canada Rouge Toronto–Pearson[7]
American Airlines Miami, New York–JFK
Seasonal: Charlotte[citation needed]
Anguilla Air Services Anguilla[8]
BMN Air Barbuda, Montserrat
British Airways Aruba,[9] London–Gatwick, Saint Kitts
Seasonal: Grenada[citation needed]
CalvinAir Helicopters Barbuda, Dominica–Canefield, Montserrat, Nevis, Saint Kitts
Caribbean Airlines Barbados, Dominica–Douglas-Charles,[10] Kingston–Norman Manley, Port of Spain, Saint Kitts,[11] San Juan(ends 10 January 2026),[12] Tortola(ends 10 January 2026)[12]
Condor Seasonal: Frankfurt[13][14]
Delta Air Lines Atlanta
Seasonal: New York–JFK[15]
FlyMontserrat Barbuda, Montserrat, Nevis
InterCaribbean Airways Barbados, Providenciales, Tortola[16]
JetBlue New York–JFK
Liat Air Barbuda,[17] Castries, Georgetown–Cheddi Jagan,[18] Kingston–Norman Manley,[19] Port of Spain,[20] Saint Vincent–Argyle,[21] Tortola[22]
Norse Atlantic Airways[23] Seasonal charter: London–Gatwick,[citation needed] Manchester (UK)[citation needed]
Sky High Santo Domingo–Las Americas
St Barth Commuter Saint Barthelemy[citation needed]
Sunrise Airways Barbados,[24] Castries,[25] Dominica–Douglas-Charles,[26] Fort-de-France,[24] Grenada,[24] Pointe-à-Pitre,[24] Port-au-Prince,[27] Saint Kitts,[28] Saint Vincent–Argyle,[24] Santo Domingo–Las Americas,[24] Sint Maarten,[29] Tortola[24]
SVG Air Dominica–Canefield[30][31]
Tradewind Aviation Anguilla,[32] Saint Barthelemy
United Airlines Newark
VI Airlink Tortola
Virgin Atlantic London–Heathrow
WestJet Toronto–Pearson[33]
Winair Dominica–Douglas-Charles, Montserrat, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts, Sint Maarten,[34] Tortola

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
Air Cargo Carriers Dominica–Douglas-Charles
Ameriflight Dominica–Douglas-Charles, San Juan
Amerijet International Miami
DHL Aviation Dominica–Douglas-Charles, San Juan, Sint Maarten
FedEx Feeder San Juan

Ground transportation

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Taxis and rental cars are available at the airport, although there is no public bus service.

Other facilities

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Statistics

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The airport was opened on 20 August 2015, and has a processing capacity of 1,700 passengers. The airport is open 24 hours a day and is serviced by more than 17 airlines.[37]

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 10 May 2004, a LIAT de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311 flight made an emergency landing after one of its wheels fell off shortly after takeoff. The flight operated by the Antigua-based airline had departed from St. Maarten en route to St. Kitts when one of its wheels reportedly fell off. The Dash 8-311 turboprop was diverted to Antigua and was able to land safely on its three remaining wheels, without causing damage to the aircraft. None of the 24 passengers and three crew members were injured.
  • On 12 November 2008, a LIAT de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311 circled V. C. Bird International Airport in Antigua following reports of landing gear malfunction. The de Havilland Dash 8 -311 aircraft should have landed at the Robert Bradshaw International Airport in St Kitts but was diverted to Antigua because of the problem. It turned out that the landing gear was in order, but the indicators in the cockpit gave a reading that there was a fault. Firefighters, medical personnel and police were on alert but, after clearance, the aircraft landed safely with its 42 passengers and three crew members.
  • On 7 October 2012, FlyMontserrat Flight 107, a FlyMontserrat Britten-Norman Islander took off and later crashed a few feet off the runway, killing the pilot and 2 of the 3 passengers on board.[38] due to significant contamination of the aircraft's fuel by water.[39]

References

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Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF.
  2. ^ Airport information for ANU / TAPA at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  3. ^ Airport Council International's 2009 World Airport Traffic Report
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  35. ^ "Antigua Outstation." Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved on 23 December 2012.
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  38. ^ "Fly Montserrat Airplane Crash in Antigua reported Archived 16 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine." Spice Media Group. 8 October 2012. Retrieved on 8 October 2012.
  39. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). ()
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