View source for Sendai Airport

{{Short description|International airport in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Sendai Airport
| nativename = 
| nativename-a = {{nobold|{{Nihongo2|仙台空港}}}}
| nativename-r = <small>''Sendai Kūkō''</small>
| image = Sendai airport.svg
| image-width = 250
| image2 = 211028 Sendai Airport Sendai Miyagi prefecture Japan01bs.jpg
| image2-width = 250
| IATA = SDJ
| ICAO = RJSS
| type = Public
| owner = 
| operator = Sendai International Airport Co., Ltd.
| city-served = [[Sendai]]
| location = [[Natori, Miyagi|Natori]], [[Miyagi Prefecture|Miyagi]]
| hub =[[Ibex Airlines]] 
| elevation-f = 6
| coordinates = {{coord|38|08|23|N|140|55|01|E|type:airport_region:JP-04|display=it}}
| pushpin_map = Japan Miyagi Prefecture#Japan
| pushpin_label = '''SDJ'''/RJSS
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Miyagi Prefecture
| website = [https://www.sendai-airport.co.jp/en/ sendai-airport.co.jp]
| metric-rwy = Y
| r1-number = 09/27
| r1-length-m = 3,000
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete]]
| r2-number = 12/30
| r2-length-m = 1,200
| r2-surface = Asphalt concrete
| stat-year = 2015
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 3,152,569
| stat2-header = Cargo (metric tonnes)
| stat2-data = 5,979
| stat3-header = Aircraft movement
| stat3-data = 50,877
| footnotes = Source: Japanese [[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Sendai Airport|url=http://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001141840.pdf|publisher=Japanese [[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism]]|access-date=7 January 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021205147/http://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001141840.pdf|archive-date=21 October 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
}}

{{nihongo|'''Sendai Airport'''|仙台空港|Sendai Kūkō}} {{Airport codes|SDJ|RJSS}} is an international airport located in [[Natori, Miyagi|Natori]] of [[Miyagi Prefecture]], {{convert|13.6|km|abbr=on}} south-southeast of [[Sendai]], [[Japan]]. 
The airport is the largest in [[Tōhoku region]].
The airport's annual passenger numbers have been around 3.6 million in recent years, competing with [[Kobe Airport]] for 10th place in Japan. The airport sustained serious damage in [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]].

Ibex Airlines, a regional airline is based at the airport.

==History==
In 1940, the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] built Sendai Airport in order to use it for the Kumagaya Army Flight School, Masda Branch School Trainee Training Center.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}  It was called by several names: '''Natory Airfield''', '''Masda Airfield''', and '''Yatory Airfield'''. In 1943, the Miho Army Flight Center moved into Sendai Airport and facilities were expanded and later reformed into the Sendai Army Flight School.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

At the end of [[World War II]], the [[United States Army]] took control of the airport and its operations. In 1956, it was returned to Japan and transferred to the [[Ministry of Defense (Japan)|Ministry of Defense]]. The [[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (Japan)|Ministry of Transport]] was designated to administer and use it.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

In 1957, the runway was extended to {{convert|1200|m|ft|0}} and Nippon Helicopter Transport (now [[All Nippon Airways]]) established a route from Tokyo's ([[Haneda Airport]]) to Sendai.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} When the airport began to service commercial jets on 14 February 1970, runway 09/27 was extended to {{convert|2000|m|ft|0}}. Also, the flight school of [[Japan Ground Self-Defense Force|Japan Ground Self Defense Force]] moved into North Utsunomiya Army Post.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

Beginning 6 April 1990, [[Asiana Airlines]] established a route from Seoul ([[Gimpo International Airport]]) to Sendai, thus beginning international service from the airport. [[Air China]] began scheduled service to Beijing via Dalian in 1994, which was followed by services to Shanghai and Changchun.<ref name="nikkei1019">{{cite news|script-title=ja:仙台空港、消える中国便 政治が影、民営化に打撃も|url=http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNZO61176460W3A011C1L01000/|access-date=21 October 2013|newspaper=[[The Nikkei]]|date=19 October 2013|language=ja}}</ref>

In 1992, Runway 09/27 was extended further to {{convert|2500|m|ft|0}} and 5 years later, in 1997, a new terminal was opened and the runway was extended further to {{convert|3000|m|ft|0}}.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

The [[Sendai Airport Line]] rail link was completed on 18 March 2007 and began service between {{STN|Sendai|x|Miyagi}} and [[Sendai Airport Station]]. The "Smile Terrace" observation deck opened on 19 March 2010.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

===2011 Tōhoku earthquake and aftermath===
[[File:SendaiAirportMarch16.jpg|thumb|Tsunami flooding around the airport]]
[[File:Sendaiairport_tunami201307.JPG|thumb|A pillar on the terminal building's first floor denoting the maximum height flood waters from the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]] reached, 3.02 metres]]
{{Main|2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami}}

On 11 March 2011, the airport was damaged by the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|2011 Tōhoku earthquake]] and then substantially flooded by the subsequent tsunami.<ref name="AVH1">{{cite web|url=http://avherald.com/h?article=43928907&opt=0 |title=News: Tsunami rolls through Pacific, Sendai Airport under water, Tokyo Narita closed, Pacific region airports endangered |publisher=Avherald.com |date=11 March 2011 |access-date=12 October 2015}}</ref> In addition to submerging the apron, taxiways and runway,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html|title=Satellite Photos – Japan Before and After Tsunami|access-date=13 March 2011 | work=The New York Times|first1=Alan|last1=McLean|first2=Kevin|last2=Quealy|first3=Matthew|last3=Ericson|date=13 March 2011}}</ref> the floodwaters reached up to parts of the 2nd level of the passenger terminal, rendering electrical equipment, transformers and safety equipment inoperable.<ref name="miyagiken">{{cite web |title=宮城県／空港臨空地域課 |trans-title=Miyagi Prefecture/Airport Area Division |url=http://www.pref.miyagi.jp/kurin/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209065237/http://www.pref.miyagi.jp/kurin/ |archive-date=9 December 2012 |access-date=2012-12-09 |language=ja |quote=「仙台空港ビル 3/11 20:40現在　中２階まで浸水 現在周辺住民も含めて、目算で約1300名が避難中、孤立状況 3/13　9:00現在　 老人・重病者２００名が空港外へ避難完了 3/15　14:00現在　中2階まで浸水しており、調査の結果、1階部に設置してある電気設備・受変電設備・ボイラー・空調設備・自家発電・消防設備・ 監視カメラ等の機械電気設備は全滅状態である。」 |trans-quote=As of 20:40 on 3/11 at Sendai Airport Building, water has flooded up to the mezzanine floor. Approximately 1,300 people, including surrounding residents, are currently evacuated and isolated. As of 9:00 on 3/13, 200 elderly and seriously ill people are outside the airport. As of 14:00 on 3/15, the mezzanine floor was flooded, and an investigation revealed that the electrical equipment, power receiving and substation equipment, boiler, air conditioning equipment, private power generation, firefighting equipment, and monitoring installed on the first floor were flooded. Mechanical and electrical equipment such as cameras are completely destroyed. |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Operations at Sendai as well as [[Odate-Noshiro Airport]] and [[Sado Airport]], which had been controlled by Sendai Airport control tower, were suspended. Some 1,300 people were stranded within the terminal until 13 March 2011, when they were evacuated.<ref name="miyagiken"/> By 17 March 2011, military engineers partially opened the airport for tsunami response flights.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2011/03/17/japans-sendai-airport-opens-runway-for-relief-efforts/|title=Japan's Sendai Airport Opens Runway For Relief Efforts|access-date=18 March 2011|location=Sendai Airport|date=17 March 2011}}</ref>

To reopen the airport, on 16 March 2011, a U.S. Air Force MC-130P Combat Shadow from the 17th Special Operations Squadron infiltrated a team from the [[320th Special Tactics Squadron]] from [[Kadena Air Base]] into [[Matsushima, Miyagi]], then moved overland to the airport. With assistance from [[Japan Self-Defense Forces]], enough debris was removed in a few days to allow an MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft to begin landing with more equipment, personnel, and supplies. After further cleanup with help from additional US and Japanese military units, on 20 March 2011, a US Air Force [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III|C-17]] landed at the airport with 40 metric tons of relief supplies.<ref>''[[Sankei Shimbun]]'', "Elite U.S. airborne unit dropped over an airport and restores it", 27 March 2011.</ref> Thereafter, the airport served as a transit location for airlifted supplies, totaling approximately 2 million tons of such items as blankets, water, and food. The US military set up and operated air traffic control operations for the airport until shortly before commercial traffic resumed, at which point air traffic control responsibility was resumed by Japanese controllers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fackler |first=Martin |date=2011-04-13 |title=U.S. Airmen Quietly Reopen Wrecked Airport in Japan |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/world/asia/14sendai.html |access-date=2024-01-03 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The airport reopened to limited commercial traffic on 13 April 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/tsunami-hit-japan-airport-set-to-reopen/news-story/45e5ba8252cb1c3efff665af099f8ecf|title=Tsunami-hit Japan airport set to reopen|date=8 April 2011|website=www.heraldsun.com.au}}</ref> Japan Airlines and ANA conducted a total of six flights a day to Tokyo Haneda Airport upon resumption of services, with Japan Airlines also offering limited flights to Osaka Itami airport.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news| url=https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/04/08/sendai-airport-back-in-business-april-13/ | work=The Wall Street Journal | first=Yoree | last=Koh | title=Sendai Airport Back in Business April 13 | date=8 April 2011}}</ref><ref>[[Kyodo News]], "Sendai Airport partially resumes domestic flights after quake", 13 April 2011.</ref>

Due to damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami, all scheduled service (except for humanitarian flights) were suspended from 11 March 2011 until 13 April 2011. Limited services resumed on 13 April 2011, although not all original Sendai destinations were served. Regular domestic flights resumed on 25 July 2011 and most international flights resumed in October 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110624b1.html |title=Sendai overseas flights resume {{!}} The Japan Times Online |website=search.japantimes.co.jp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701191621/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110624b1.html |archive-date=2011-07-01}}</ref>  Although most international services from Sendai came back online following the 2011 disaster, most services between Sendai and China were suspended or cancelled between 2012 and 2013 due to worsened Sino-Japanese relations. Asiana Airlines also reduced the frequency of its Sendai-Seoul service in September 2013. Despite the reduction in China and Korea service, 2013 saw new service from Sendai to Bangkok and Honolulu as well as new charter service to Taipei.<ref name="nikkei1019" /> The global COVID-19 pandemic also resulted in greatly reduced passenger traffic.<ref>{{cite web |title=Photos: 10 Years Since the Great East Japan Earthquake - the Atlantic |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2021/03/photos-10-years-great-east-japan-earthquake/618243/ |website=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref>

==Facilities==
The main passenger terminal building was designed by [[Japanese American]] architect [[Gyo Obata]], of the [[St. Louis]] architecture firm [[Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum]].<ref name='ARCH'>{{cite news | first=Julia M. | last=Johnson | title=Obata keeps HOK's focus on meeting people's needs | date=4 March 2005 | url =http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2005/03/07/focus11.html | work =St. Louis Business Journal | access-date = 5 March 2007 }}</ref>

There are four floors in the terminal:
* G1: arrivals area (domestic and international), baggage claim, customs, central Plaza – G1
* M2 – arrivals concourse, atrium, customs control area
* 2 – departure area (domestic and international), airline offices, check-in counters, lounges and waiting area.
* 3 – retail shops (4), business lounge, waiting area and access to observation deck

The airport has eight [[jet bridge]]s to handle aircraft coming and leaving the airport. The west end of the terminal services domestic routes and the east side international routes. The control tower, Tokyo Regional Civil Aviation Bureau office and Air Cargo Terminal are located on the west side of the main terminal building. To the south side of the airport are the facilities for small private aircraft, helipads (4) and aircraft hangars.

== Airlines and destinations ==
{{Airport-dest-list
| [[Air China]] | [[Beijing Capital International Airport|Beijing–Capital]], [[Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport|Dalian]], [[Shanghai Pudong International Airport|Shanghai–Pudong]]
| [[Air Do]] | [[New Chitose Airport|Sapporo–Chitose]]
| [[All Nippon Airways]] | [[Naha Airport|Naha]], [[Osaka International Airport|Osaka–Itami]]
| [[All Nippon Airways|ANA Wings]] | [[Chubu Centrair International Airport|Nagoya–Centrair]], [[Itami Airport|Osaka–Itami]], [[New Chitose Airport|Sapporo–Chitose]]
| [[Asiana Airlines]] | [[Incheon International Airport|Seoul–Incheon]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Asiana Airlines Resumes Sendai Service in late-April 2023 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230315-ozsdj |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref>
| [[EVA Air]] | [[Taoyuan International Airport|Taipei–Taoyuan]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/221027-brjan23sdj|title=EVA Air Resumes Sendai Service From Jan 2023|website=AeroRoutes|date=27 October 2022}}</ref>
| [[Greater Bay Airlines]] | [[Hong Kong International Airport|Hong Kong]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Greater Bay Airlines 4Q24 Japan Network Expansion |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240920-hb4q24jp |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=20 September 2024}}</ref>
| [[HK Express]] | [[Hong Kong International Airport|Hong Kong]]<ref>{{cite web |title=HK Express Schedules Sendai 1Q25 Launch |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240920-uo1q25sdj |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=20 September 2024}}</ref>
| [[Ibex Airlines]] | [[Fukuoka Airport|Fukuoka]], [[Hiroshima Airport|Hiroshima]], [[Chubu Centrair International Airport|Nagoya–Centrair]], [[Itami Airport|Osaka–Itami]], [[New Chitose Airport|Sapporo–Chitose]]
| [[J-Air]] | [[Fukuoka Airport|Fukuoka]], [[Itami Airport|Osaka–Itami]], [[New Chitose Airport|Sapporo–Chitose]]
| [[Peach Aviation|Peach]] | [[Chubu Centrair International Airport|Nagoya–Centrair]], [[Kansai International Airport|Osaka–Kansai]], [[New Chitose Airport|Sapporo–Chitose]]
| [[Skymark Airlines]] | [[Kobe Airport|Kobe]]
| [[Starlux Airlines]] | [[Taoyuan International Airport|Taipei–Taoyuan]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Starlux Airlines Schedules Sendai Launch in 2Q23 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230109-jxsdj |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=9 January 2023}}</ref>
| [[Tigerair Taiwan]] | [[Kaohsiung International Airport|Kaohsiung]] (begins 16 July 2025),<ref>{{Cite web|last=Liu|first=Jim|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/250506-it3q25sdj|title=tigerair Taiwan Schedules Kaohsiung – Sendai 3Q25 Launch|website=AeroRoutes|date=6 May 2025}}</ref> [[Taoyuan International Airport|Taipei–Taoyuan]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Tigerair Taiwan NS23 Japan Operations – 10MAR23 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230310-itjp |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref>
}}

==Statistics==
{{Airport-Statistics|iata=SDJ}}

==Ground transportation==
The [[Sendai Airport Line]], which connects the airport to [[Sendai Station (Miyagi)|Sendai Station]], opened on 18 March 2007. The journey to the downtown core of the city takes 17–25 minutes. After the earthquake and tsunami, service was suspended until 1 October of that year.

The airport can be accessed by car via the [[Sendai–Tōbu Road]] via Route 20. There are two car parks located near the terminal building (Parking 1 with 970 spots) and east side of the airport property (Parking 2 with 250 spots).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/tsunami-hit-japan-airport-set-to-reopen/story-e6frf7jx-1226036213920 |title=Tsunami-hit Japan airport set to reopen |access-date=11 March 2013 |date=8 April 2011 |publisher=Herald Sun/AFP}}</ref>

Buses and taxis also service the airport and are located outside the Domestic Terminal:

=== Route and highway buses ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Bus stop !! Name !! Via !! Destination !! Company !! Note
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center" | 1
|''Sendai-Kūkō-Yamagata Line ''
| Yamagata Kencho-mae
|[[Yamagata Station]]
|[http://www.miyakou.co.jp/top.php Miyagi kōtsū]・[http://www.yamakobus.co.jp/ YamaKō bus]
|
|-
|''Tsuruoka・Sakata Line''
| [[Sendai Station (Miyagi)|Sendai Station]]・[[Sagae Station]]・[[Kisakata Station]]
| [[Ugo-Honjo Station]]
| [http://www.shonaikotsu.jp/english/index.html Shonaikotsu]
|
|-
|''Sendai -kūkō ー Fukushima ー Aizu-Wakamatsu Line''
|[[Sōma Station]]・[[Fukushima Station (Fukushima)|Fukushima Station]]・[[Nihonmatsu Station]]
|[[Aizu-Wakamatsu Station]]
| [http://www.aizubus.com/ Aizu bus]
| 
|-
|''Sendai-kūkō -Zao Line''
|Non stop
|[[Zaō Onsen]]
| [http://www.senbus.co.jp Sendai bus]
|Runs only during winter
|-
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 2
|''Matsushima Line''
|[[Matsushima-Kaigan Station]]
|[[Matsushima Station]]
| [http://www.iwate-kenpokubus.co.jp Iwamate-Kenpoku-Jidosya]
|
|-
|''Sendai Airport Limousine''
| Non stop
| [[Sendai Station (Miyagi)|Sendai Station]]
| [http://www.takeyakoutu.jp/sendai_airport_liner.html Takeyakoutu]・Sendai bus
|
|-
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 3
|''KūKō Line''
|circular-route
|[[Iwanuma Station]] 
| [http://www.city.iwanuma.miyagi.jp/kurashi/kotsu/shimin-bus/　Iwanumashi Community bus]
| 
|-
|''Rinku-Jyunkan bus''
|circular-route
|[[Tatekoshi Station]]
| Sendai bus
|
|}

* Taxis – Sendai City and Tatekoshi JR Station

==Accidents and incidents==
* In 1963, All Nippon Airways Flight 802 missed its approach and crashed at the airport, but there were no fatalities.{{Citation needed|date=May 2019}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category inline|Sendai Airport}}
* {{official website|1=https://www.sendai-airport.co.jp/en/}}

{{Portalbar|Japan|Transport|Aviation}} 
{{Japanese airports}}
{{2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Airports in Tōhoku region]]
[[Category:Transport buildings and structures in Miyagi Prefecture]]
[[Category:Airports established in 1940]]
[[Category:Transport in Sendai]]
[[Category:Natori, Miyagi]]
[[Category:1940 establishments in Japan]]