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\u201cHenri Coanda\u201d — Otopeni International Airport, the largest airport in Romania, is located outside Bucharest\u2019s urban area, in the town of Otopeni, and is one of Bucharest\u2019s two airports (the second largest being \u201cAurel Vlaicu\u201d International Airport in Baneasa district).<\/p>\n
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During WWII, Otopeni airport was a military base. Until 1965, it was only Baneasa Airport that had operated commercial flights. Later on, a new commercial airport was built on the site of the old military base in Otopeni. The upgraded runway was 3,500m long, being longer than that of Orly Airport in Paris at the time.<\/p>\n
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The building of a new passenger terminal was included in the upgrading and expansion program. The upgrading continued with the building of a VIP lounge, ahead of the visit to Romania by the U.S. President Richard Nixon, in August 1969. In 1986 a second runway, measuring 3,500 in length, was inaugurated, and a new airfield ground lighting system was implemented. In March 2011, the departure terminal was extended and the number of boarding gates was increased to 24.<\/p>\n
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In 2018, \u201cHenri Coanda\u201d — Otopeni International Airport registered a record high air traffic movement, of over 13.8 million passengers, and an increase of approximately one million people, as compared to 2017. 57 airlines operate on the airport, taking passengers to and from 128 destinations.<\/p>\n
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