Nîmes–Alès–Camargue–Cévennes Airport

Nîmes Airport or Nîmes–Alès–Camargue–Cévennes Airport (French: Aéroport de Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes[2][3]) (IATA: FNI, ICAO: LFTW) is an airport located 9 km (4.9 NM) south-southeast of the city of Nîmes,[1] in the village of Saint-Gilles near Garons, France. It is also known as Garons Airport or Nîmes Garons Airport.[1] The airport serves the Provence region, including the communes of Nîmes and Alès in the Gard department, the Camargue area and the Cévennes.

Nîmes–Alès–Camargue–Cévennes
Airport

Aéroport de Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes
Summary
Airport typePublic / Military
OperatorEdeis
ServesNîmes, Gard, France
LocationSaint-Gilles / Garons
Elevation AMSL309 ft / 94 m
Coordinates43°45′27″N 004°24′59″E
Website
Map
LFTW
Location of airport in Occitanie region
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
18/36 2,443 8,015 Concrete
Statistics (2014)
Passengers207,553
Passenger Change 13-146.3%
Sources: AIP,[1] Airport,[2] UAF,[3] DAFIF[4][5]

It currently has some commercial services, operated by Irish carrier Ryanair, as well as serving as a naval air base. The French navy (Marine Nationale) pulled out some years ago. Their former facilities are now used by the Armee de Terre. The Securite Civile flying base, formerly at Marseille (LFML), has moved to Garons.

Facilities

The airport is at an elevation of 309 feet (94 m) above mean sea level. It has one paved runway designated 18/36 which measures 2,443 by 45 metres (8,015 ft × 148 ft).[1]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
Ryanair Charleroi, Fes, Marrakech
Seasonal: London–Luton, London–Stansted

Controversy

In April 2012, the European Commission announced that it had launched an in-depth investigation into the financial arrangements that Nîmes Airport had with public authorities and Ryanair. The investigation would determine if public subsidies given to the airport, as well as rebates and marketing agreements with Ryanair, breached EU rules on state aid. The Commission announced that it would examine the following issues:[6]

  • whether public subsidies of over €2 million and cash advances totalling over €9 million received by the Chamber of Commerce between 2000 and 2006 and public subsidies received by Veolia Transport since 2007 covered their ordinary operating expenses as airport operators, thereby giving them an undue economic advantage over competitors.
  • whether agreements (such as marketing support contracts and discounts on airport charges) between the airport operators and Ryanair would have been contracted by a market economy investor and, if not, Ryanair would have been receiving an undue economic advantage that its competitors do not enjoy.
  • whether part of the aid received by the airport operators had been passed on to Ryanair.

In response to the announcement, Ryanair maintained that its 'arrangements with all EU airports comply with competition rules'.[7]

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References
  1. LFTW – Nîmes Garons. AIP from French Service d'information aéronautique, effective 13 August 2020.
  2. (in French) Aéroport de Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes, official site
  3. (in French) Aéroport de Nîmes-Arles-Camargue Archived 25 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine at Union des Aéroports Français
  4. Airport information for LFTW from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  5. Airport information for FNI at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  6. European Commission Press Release: State aid: Commission opens in-depth investigation into potential state aid at Nîmes airport in France
  7. Financial Times: Brussels opens its 18th Ryanair probe

Media related to Nîmes - Garons Airport at Wikimedia Commons

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