Sfax–Thyna International Airport (, ) is an airport serving

Sfax Sfax ( ; , ) is a major port city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of Taparura, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate (about 955,421 inhabitants in 2014), and a Mediterranean port. Sfax has a ...

in Tunisia. The airport is located 6 kilometers (4 miles) southwest from

History

World War II

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the airport was known as Sfax Airfield and was used by the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...

during the

North African Campaign The North African campaign of World War II took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943, fought between the Allies and the Axis Powers. It included campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert campaign, Desert Wa ...

. The units known to be assigned here were: *

12th Bombardment Group 012 may refer to: * Tyrrell 012, a Formula One racing car * The dialing code for Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive bra ...

, 15 April – 2 June 1943,

B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served ...

* 340th Bombardment Group, 15 April – 2 June 1943,

Later years

The airport has undergone several extensions and improvements. The most important development and remodeling of the terminal took place in 1988 when the runway was extended. In 1989, a cargo terminal was added and in 1996 new facilities built: warehouse, taxiways and the airport apron were reconstructed. Additionally the runway was improved and a new control tower built. With a capacity of 200,000 passengers per year, the current terminal covers 2,000 m² (½ acre). A new terminal building covers 8,000 m² (2 acres), consisting of three buildings. Construction started on 8 November 2005, and it was inaugurated on 22 December 2007. With a total cost of six million dinars, it has a capacity of 500,000 passengers. A total budget of 25 million

dinars The dinar () is the name of the principal currency unit in several countries near the Mediterranean Sea, with a more widespread historical use. The English word "dinar" is the transliteration of the Arabic دينار (''dīnār''), which was bor ...

was also devoted to the airport to give it a total facelift (control tower, runway and parking). From 2011 the airport was the main hub and headquarters for Syphax Airlines up until 2015.Contact Us
" Syphax Airlines. Retrieved on 1 January 2013. "Headquarters Address: Sfax Thyna International Airport – 3018 Sfax – Tunisia" �
in French
: "Siège Social Adresse: Aéroport International Sfax Thyna – 3018 Sfax – Tunisie"

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Sfax–Thyna Airport:

References

Citations

Bibliography

* Maurer, Maurer. ''Air Force Combat Units of World War II''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. . *

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sfax-Thyna International Airport Airports in Tunisia

Airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...

World War II airfields in Tunisia Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Tunisia Airports established in 1980