History of the airport

Construction work at the former k. & k. airfield starts, hangars are built and a gras airfield is established.

On June 26th the first plane takes off. At the same time an internment camp is established on the airport area for civilians suspected of „Russophilia“

The first domestic flight network is established. The route leads from Vienna via Graz to Klagenfurt.

Due to continuous improvements of navigation and radio technology air traffic is increasing significantly. Construction of an airport building starts.

A 1500-metre-long concrete runway with respective lighting system is built – it is the first new construction of that kind in Austria.

For the first time around 1,000 passengers are counted this year.

After incorporation the airport in the domestic flight network of AUA in 1962 the international network follows in 1966 with the connection Graz-Linz-Frankfurt.

A new terminal building is established and the the runway is extended to 2,500m. Already more than 40,000 passengers thus take off and land at Graz Airport this year.

Another highlight in the history of Graz Airport is the landing of the Concorde of British Airways on 29 March 1981.

A modern approach aid is put into operation at Graz Airport. It leads correspondingly equipped aircrafts safely to the ground at low visibility. Thus cancellations due to fog and mist can be reduced almost to zero.

Well above 100,000 visitors celebrate the 70th anniversary of Graz Airport. On the occasion the festivities a big air show takes place. Exciting highlight of the show is the landing of the first “Jumbo” (B-747) of the German airline “Deutsche Lufthansa”.

The new airport building is put into operation with a ceremony after 2 years of construction. For the opening and on the occasion of the 80th birthday of the airport an international aviation day is hosted on 29 October. More than 120,000 visitors attend this spectacular event.

The cargo building is extended as well as the apron to the North.

In October 202 the new tower is inaugurated.

he General Aviation Center is opended. At the same time one of the biggest construction projects in the history of the airport starts: the extension of the passender terminal to double the capacity.

On 28 May all existing records are broken: More than 6,000 passengers use the airport that day. The airport celebrates its 90th anniversary and attends to almost 900,000 passengers that year.

On 22 March the new departure hall is opended.

In September SPAR opens the first supermarket on an Austrian airport area.

On 23 December 2008 history was eventually made: The one millionth passenger is a milestone for Graz Airport.

In June 2009 the new Heliport is ceremonially handed over to the ÖAMTC. SPAR celebrates its 400,000th customer at Graz Airport – and that, even though the store has been open less than a year at that point.

Between the airport terminal and the railway station a covered train access is built in cooperation with the Styrian government.

To ensure optimum use of the runways and a swift traffic handling a third taxiway (Taxiway C) is built. In addition, the two already existing taxiways (B+D) and the adjacent apron are partly overhauled in order to meet all safety specifications also in the future.

Graz Airport celebrates its 100th birthday and is thus the oldest commercial airport of Austria. The first half of the year was clearly marked by 100 Years Graz Airport.

The corona pandemic breaks out and thus flight traffic is reduced to a minimum. It is not before 2021 that passenger numbers are increasing again.

The airport presents itself as Graz Airport with a new corporate design as it celebrates its 110th anniversary.