Departure
93%
vs 95% ▼ 2
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport is Mauritania's principal international gateway, situated some 25 kilometres north of the capital, Nouakchott, in the Wilaya du Trarza. Opened in June 2016 to replace the old Nouakchott International Airport in the city centre, it offers two long, ILS-equipped concrete runways and serves as the hub for Mauritania Airlines, making it a notable stop for simulator pilots flying long-haul routes into North West Africa.
Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport (ICAO: GQNO, IATA: NKC) is the main international airport serving Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania. It opened in June 2016 as a purpose-built replacement for the old, centrally located Nouakchott International Airport, and now serves as the hub for Mauritania Airlines. For a simulator pilot, the field is of interest as a large, modern desert-coast airport with two substantial ILS-served runways, handling a mix of African and European scheduled traffic.
The airport lies about 25 kilometres north of the city of Nouakchott, in the Wilaya du Trarza on Mauritania's Atlantic coast, at coordinates 18.31 N, 15.9697 W and an elevation of only 3 feet. It replaced the former Nouakchott International Airport, which was located closer to the city centre and closed when Oumtounsy opened.
The airport has two physical runways. Runway 16/34 is 9,789 feet long with a hard (concrete) surface, and is served by an ILS on the 34 approach. Runway 06/24 is 8,233 feet long, also hard-surfaced, with an ILS on the 06 approach. Both runways are substantial in length, reflecting the airport's role as an international hub capable of handling wide-body traffic.
Nouakchott–Oumtounsy provides ATIS broadcasts in English on 127.7 MHz and in French on 126.6 MHz. Surface movement control (SMC) is available on 121.7 MHz, and Ground/Tower operates on 118.4 MHz. The field is equipped with ILS approaches serving runway 34 and runway 06.
The airport was designed by Mauritanian architect Omer Houessou and was, at the time, described as the largest construction project undertaken in Mauritania since 1960. The Mauritanian government approved the project on 13 October 2011, with local firm Najah for Major Works (NMW) beginning construction the following month. Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport opened on 23 June 2016, timed to be ready for the 27th Arab League summit held in the city later that July. The first aircraft to land was a Mauritania Airlines International flight from Zouérat, arriving at midday, and President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz arrived that afternoon to formally inaugurate the airport, coinciding with the arrival of the first international flight, a Turkish Airlines service from Istanbul–Atatürk. The airport replaced Nouakchott International Airport, situated some 25 kilometres to the south in the city centre, which had itself seen a number of incidents over its operational life, including a hijacking attempt in 1996 and a fatal cargo aircraft crash in 2012 shortly before the move to the new field.
Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport now functions as the hub for Mauritania Airlines and handles scheduled international services from carriers including Air Algérie, Air France, Air Sénégal, ASKY Airlines, Binter Canarias, Royal Air Maroc, Tunisair and Turkish Airlines, connecting Nouakchott with destinations across West Africa and to Europe. The airport is linked to the city of Nouakchott by Sheikh Zayed Road.
