Kumamoto Airport

Kumamoto Airport
熊本空港
Kumamoto Kūkō
Summary
Airport typePublic
ServesKumamoto
LocationMashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture
Elevation AMSL632 ft / 193 m
Coordinates32°50′14″N 130°51′19″E / 32.83722°N 130.85528°E / 32.83722; 130.85528
Websitehttps://www.kumamoto-airport.co.jp/en/
Map
KMJ/RJFT
Location in Kumamoto Prefecture
KMJ/RJFT
Location in Japan
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
07/25 3,000 9,843 Asphalt concrete
Statistics (2015)
Passengers3,241,633
Cargo (metric tonnes)16,538
Aircraft movement41,924
Source: Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism[1]

Kumamoto Airport (熊本空港, Kumamoto Kūkō) (IATA: KMJ, ICAO: RJFT), also known as Aso Kumamoto Airport (阿蘇くまもと空港, Aso Kumamoto Kūkō), is an airport in Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.

History

The first Kumamoto Airport opened in 1960 on the site of a former Imperial Japanese Army air base and had a 1,200 m runway. It was replaced by the current Kumamoto Airport in 1971. The new airport's originally had a 2,500 m runway which allow jet aircraft to operate there unlike the previous airport. The runway was later extended to 3,000 m in 1980.[2]

Kumamoto was one of three nationally owned airports to turn a profit in fiscal year 2011 (along with New Chitose Airport and Komatsu Airport).[3] In 2013, the government passed legislation aimed at eventually allowing the sale of an operating concession at the airport.[4]

China Airlines charter service to Kaohsiung was announced in 2014 in order to cater to packaged tours from Taiwan.[5]

In March 2018, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism decided to outsource the operation to a private company from April 2020 in order to accelerate the recovery from the Kumamoto earthquakes and to promote utilization and improve services by making use of private sector know-how. The operator is Kumamoto International Airport Co., Ltd., which is funded by a consortium of 11 companies led by Mitsui Fudosan.

Following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, which severely damaged the airport, Kumamoto International Airport Co., Ltd. began developing a new terminal building which was planned to withstand strong earthquakes. It was also made to integrates both domestic and international flights. The new terminal building officially opened on 23 March 2023.[6]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
All Nippon Airways Osaka–Itami, Tokyo–Haneda
Amakusa Airlines Amakusa, Osaka–Itami
ANA Wings Naha, Osaka–Itami
China Airlines Kaohsiung,[7][8] Taipei–Taoyuan[9][10]
Eastar Jet Busan[11]
Fuji Dream Airlines Nagoya–Komaki
Ibex Airlines Nagoya–Centrair
J-Air Osaka–Itami
Japan Airlines Tokyo–Haneda
Jetstar Japan Osaka–Kansai, Tokyo–Narita
Korean Air Seoul–Incheon[12][13]
Solaseed Air Tokyo–Haneda
Starlux Airlines Taipei–Taoyuan[14][15]
Tigerair Taiwan Kaohsiung, Tainan (both begin 23 December 2025)[16]
T'way Air Seasonal: Seoul–Incheon

Statistics

PassengersYear2,800,0002,900,0003,000,0003,100,0003,200,0003,300,0003,400,000200820102012201420162018PassengersAnnual passenger traffic

References

  1. ^ "Kumamoto Airport" (PDF). Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  2. ^ "会社概要". Kumamoto Airport Building Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  3. ^ "国管理の空港、９割が赤字 11年度". Nihon Keizai Shimbun. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  4. ^ "国の28空港、民間委託可能に 新法案を閣議決定". Nihon Keizai Shimbun. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  5. ^ "熊本―台湾・高雄、定期チャーターで合意". Nihon Keizai Shimbun. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  6. ^ "３月２３日 新旅客ターミナルビルオープン！" ["March 23, New passenger terminal will open!"]. 阿蘇くまもと空港. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei KHH". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 618–619. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  8. ^ "China Airlines Resumes Kaohsiung – Kumamoto in 1Q25".
  9. ^ "Taipei, Chinese Taipei TPE". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1253–1255. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  10. ^ "China Airlines Schedules Taipei – Kumamoto Service in 2H23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  11. ^ "EastarJet Schedules New Busan – Japan Routes in late-Dec 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Seoul, Korea Republic Of SEL". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1186–1190. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  13. ^ Liu, Jim (16 October 2024). "Korean Air Resumes Kumamoto Service in NW24". AeroRoutes.
  14. ^ "Taipei, Chinese Taipei TPE". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 1253–1255. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  15. ^ "Starlux Airlines Plans Taipei – Kumamoto Launch in Sep 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  16. ^ Writer, Staff (1 October 2025). "Taiwan Tigerair to launch new routes from Tainan to Japan". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 October 2025.

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