Coocoobad International Airport

Coocoobad International Air Terminal
Code: COO
Airport Summary
Airport Type	Public/Industrial/Military
Operator	Transportation Secretariat
Serves	Coocoobad
Elevation AMSL	3m (10 ft)
Country	Coocoostan
Runways
Direction	Dimensions/Surface
18L/27R	1,500m x 15m / Asphalt
18R/27L	1,500m X 15m / Asphalt

Coocoobad International Air Terminal, is the serving airport of Coocoobad, Capital of Coocoostan. It is located on Airport Island, in the middle of the Great Salt Lake, in the western portion of the city. The Airport is one of many terminals built by the Interior Secretariat in the early 1990s to the same configuration. It is the 5th largest terminal in the country, but handles by far, the most domestic and international traffic. It has come under heavy criticism, for many reasons discussed later in this article. The Airport is used by 4 domestic airlines as well as 3 regional carriers, 1 air cargo service, charters and 1 Wing Coocoobad.

Terminal

The Terminal building is one of the so-called "Careports"(known sarcastically as Scareports), built by the Interior Secretariat of the early 1990s. The airport hall consists of benches that seat about 50 people, a small cafe, two ticket desks and offices. The adjoining building hosts the Air Traffic Control as well as customs officers.

Military

1 Wing Coocoobad operates across the tarmac from the terminal and is home to 1 Fighter Squadron "Panthers", operators of 16 F-4E Phantoms and 150 Helicopter Squadron "Lasers" which operates 6 NH-90 TTH.

Transportation

The airport is connected to West Coocoobad by the Airport Bridge. The airport is connected by the #4 Bus ("Airport" or "West Coocoobad" depending on the direction) to the core of West Coocoobad and in turn to the rest of the city.

Criticism

Coocoobad International Air Terminal is widely criticized by most, inlcuding former President Tammy Hagans who called the airport "woefully inadequate" and said that it was the worst part of the city. Criticism is mostly aimed at the tiny terminal and the use of complicated regulations put in place under the government of Maxim Kaygorodov to avoid the problem. The terminal is configured for a small regional airport, with possibly four flights leaving and departing per hour. However, because planes are leaving and arriving as soon as possible, the terminal is often very crowded. Check-in is difficult as there are two check in desks with two wickets each that are rented to the airlines by the airport. Passengers are not allowed to stay in the airport unless they have a flight in the next hour, which includes connecting passengers. Those who violate this policy are asked to leave. Repeat violators are arrested, which has led to much controversy. The Airport bridge has only one lane in either direction and the parking lot holds only 200 vehicles. It is off limits to overnight parking, but it is usually filled by airport staff. Nearby parking lots with shuttles to the airport have blossomed leading local residents to complain about the steady flow of buses through residential areas. There is no Cargo terminal, so cargo must be shuttled across the tarmac, shutting down takeoffs and landings temporarily. The airport does not have a jetway, leading to the rental of boarding vehicles being mandatory and part of the fee of using the airport. There is only one parking space for loading aircraft and one for unloading, meaning only military aircraft can overnight at the airport, with most domestic carriers landing elsewhere overnight and moving the plane empty to Coocoobad in the morning. The airport has a poor reputation for serving Russian-speaking Coocoostanis, which leads to delays for all passengers. The Military is also unhappy, as congested runways led them to fail an exercise where fighters had to be scrambled to intercept a hijacked plane headed for the Capitol building. These and other problems, such as the poor reputation of air traffic control and rampant thefts from luggage lead to CIAT having the reputation of one of the worst airports in The East Pacific.

Proposed Upgrades/Solutions

Solutions to the airport dilemma have circulated since shortly after its construction, but have only been solicited by the government since Tammy Hagans took office.

Removal of Military Aircraft

Both the Transportation and Defence secretariats wish for military aircraft to be seperated from civil traffic. How this will be accomplished is in dispute. Defence advocates the construction of a new, larger airport in the suburbs of the city, while the Transport secretariat advocates a new military airfield. Already, 100 Transport Squadron moved to Panjuhr, after complaints that the runways were too short.

Diversion of Traffic

As of October 2006, the Transportation Secretariat has stopped approving new domestic routes from Coocoobad. However, an influx of international traffic continues to up the amount of traffic. As a result, the larger Airport in Starlight City as well as the three larger terminals in San Andreas have become preferable for international flights, with smaller connecting flights to Coocoobad.

A new airport for Coocoobad

This was originally proposed by the Defence secretariat, which notes that the airport's island nature prevents expansion and that its proximity to the Capitol and #1 Avenue of Heroes makes it ideal for military requirements. Tammy Hagans is beleived to be a proponent of buiding the largest airport in the country in the suburbs of the city, but this facility could not be finished for at least five years.

Airlines

Nogova International

• Starlight City
• Aubrey
• Los Santos
• Ulgava
• Anadahl
• Panjuhr
• Tatu
• Las Venturas

United Nogovan

United Nogovan is the regional carrier for Nogova International, but a separate company

• Wajax
• Marcy L'Etoile
• Ondakabad
• Jamestown
• Starlight City

United Nogovan Air Cargo

Runs up to a dozen air cargo flights a day, usually on one-time contracts, although it does have lengthier commitments to some clients.

Everon United Airlines

• Panjuhr
• Starlight City
• Anadahl
• Aubrey
• Los Santos

Air Malden

• Las Venturas
• Kalibad

Timbuktu Airlines

Currently Grounded

• Panjuhr
• Starlight City
• Aubrey
• Los Santos
• Anadahl

Drikar Air

• Panjuhr
• Anadahl(via Panjuhr)

Noe Wings

• Anadahl