DALLAS – Today in Aviation, Chubu Centrair (Central Japan) International Airport (NGO) officially opened its doors to airlines, sea freight, and the public in 2005.
Previously, the region was served by Nagoya Airport (NKM). However, capacity constraints for passenger and cargo flights, plus limitations on operating hours, meant the facility was bursting at the seams.
A New Airport Needed
Various world-leading companies in the region demanded that a new airport be built. They required a 24-hour operation with expansion space for passenger and cargo facilities and a runway long enough to handle long-haul flights.
Construction commenced in August 2005 with an artificial island built in the Bay of Ise. Two terminals serve the airport. Terminal One is the primary facility used by most airlines. It consists of two wings, one for international and one for domestic flights, plus a main central pier.
Terminal Two is a smaller facility used by low-cost carriers. NGO is also the only airport in Japan to handle both sea and air freight.
NGO opened just in time for the World Expo 2005 Aichi. The airport also has its own exhibition centre, which opened on August 30, 2019. It has six exhibition halls and has held numerous events.
Not Just An Airport
There is also an extensive shopping and dining complex known as ‘Flight of Dreams’. Visitors can find a prototype Boeing 787 and various exhibits from the American plane maker. The complex was built to honour the aircraft, large parts of which were constructed in the area.
Central Japan Int Airport also has a 300-meter-long observation deck called the “Sky Deck” to allow visitors to come and observe the airport’s movements. There are also public swimming baths on the fourth floor that enable views of take-offs and landings. A spotter’s paradise!
Featured image: Chubu Centrair (Central Japan) International Airport. Photo: Swissport.
