クウェート国際空港

クウェート国際空港(アラビア語: مطار الكويت الدولي、IATA : KWI 、ICAO : OKKK)クウェート国際空港は、クウェートのファルワニヤ県に位置し、クウェート市の中心部から南に15.5 キロメートル (9.6マイル)離れた場所にあり、面積は37.7 平方キロメートル (14.6平方マイル)に広がっています。2025 年現在、中東で 12 番目に利用者の多い空港です。クウェート航空とジャジーラ航空の主要ハブ空港として機能しています。空港複合施設の一部は、クウェート空軍の本部とクウェート空軍博物館があるアブドラ・アル・ムバラク空軍基地に指定されています。^{[ 5 ]}   

この空港は1927年から1928年にかけて初めて開港した。^{[ 6 ]}

現在すべての航空会社（クウェート航空とジャジーラ航空を除く。両社はそれぞれ第4ターミナルと第5ターミナルを利用している）が利用している第1ターミナルは、日本人建築家の丹下健三によって設計され、1979年に開業した。^{[ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ]}

空港は1999年から2001年にかけて大規模な改修および拡張プロジェクトを実施し、以前の駐車場は撤去され、ターミナルが拡張された。^{[ 10 ]}

クウェート国際空港は現在、年間1300万人以上の乗客を処理できる。新しい一般航空ターミナルは2008年にBOT方式で完成し、ロイヤル・アビエーションによって運営されている。^{[ 11 ]}

In 2011, the Department of Civil Aviation announced the intention of extending Kuwait International Airport so it can handle more passengers and more aircraft. On 3 October 2011, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced that a new Foster + Partners designed terminal would begin construction in 2012 and would increase the annual passenger handling amount to 14 million passengers in its first phase, with the option of expanding to 25 million passengers. The airport finalized formalities for the construction of the terminal, which was due to begin construction in 2012 with completion by 2016.^[12] It would be built to the south of the current terminal complex with new access routes from the Seventh Ring Road to the south of the airport compound. It is designed as a three-pointed star, with each point extending 600 meters from the star's center. Two airside hotels will form part of the new building.

In December 2012, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Public Works announced that the new terminal at the Kuwait International Airport would be completed by the end of 2016, estimating the cost to be around 900 million Kuwaiti dinar ($3.2 billion). On 20 May 2013, the Director of Operations Management in the General Administration of Civil Aviation, Essam Al-Zamil, announced that some of the flights will be diverted to the Sheikh Saad Terminal instead of Kuwait Airport's main terminal starting in July due to the large number of passengers and the growing number of aircraft attributing to Kuwait Airport being over capacity.^[13]

On 22 May 2018, Jazeera Airways launched its own dedicated terminal at Kuwait International Airport, to be called Terminal 5. It is located directly adjacent to and connected to the existing main building, but features dedicated arrival/departure areas, customs, and all supporting functions in order to alleviate congestion at the main building. All Jazeera arrivals will arrive at the new terminal from opening, while departing flights will transition from the current terminal between 22 and 27 May. By 27 May, all departing and arriving Jazeera flights will be handled exclusively at Terminal 5.^[14]

The airport is home to the Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, which is used by the Kuwait Air Force and has been used by Italian Air ForceBoeing KC-767s since October 2014 for the fight against ISIL.^[21] The gateway at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, used by US Air Force and coalition forces, was replaced after over 20 years of operation in 2019 with the opening of Cargo City, located adjacent to a newly built ramp on the airport's western side. Cargo City is operated by the 387th Air Expeditionary Group, with the 5th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron providing additional services like maintenance for military and contract flights.^[22][23]

The airport lies at an elevation of 204 feet (62 m) above mean sea level. It has three runways: 15R/33L with a concrete surface measuring 3,400 m × 46 m (11,155 ft × 151 ft) and 15L/33R with an asphalt surface measuring 3,500 m × 46 m (11,483 ft × 151 ft).^[3]

クウェート国際空港は、2026年までに5つの番号付きターミナルが稼働する予定である。^{[ 24 ]}

• On 25 August 1973, a Douglas DC-6 belonging to Yemen Airlines was hijacked during a flight from Taiz to Asmara. After making a refueling stop in Djibouti, the aircraft was taken to Kuwait where the single hijacker surrendered.^[125]
• On 17 December 1973, a terrorist attack on Rome's Fiumicino Airport ended with the hijacking of a LufthansaBoeing 737-100 that was preparing to depart to Munich. The aircraft was taken to Kuwait where the hijackers surrendered one day later.^[126]
• On 5 June 1977, a Middle East AirlinesBoeing 707 was hijacked during a flight from Beirut to Baghdad. The ordeal ended in Kuwait when the aircraft was stormed and the single hijacker was arrested.^[127]
• On 24 July 1980, two hijackers demanding money surrendered after hijacking a Kuwait AirwaysBoeing 737-200 during a flight from Beirut.^[128]
• On 12 December 1983, the airport was one of the targets of the 1983 Kuwait bombings.
• On 2 August 1990, British Airways Flight 149 carrying 349 passengers landed at Kuwait International Airport just four hours after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, leading to the capture of the passengers and crew. The Boeing 747-100 aircraft was looted by the Iraqis and destroyed. All passengers and crew were reported safe, but one flight attendant was raped and the passengers were taken to Iraq.^[129] A McDonnell Douglas DC-9 belonging to the Kuwait Air Force was also destroyed at the airport. During the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait many of the planes belonging to Kuwait Airways were stolen from the airport and stored in different locations in Iraq, some of the Airbus A310s notably were given Iraqi registrations, the aircraft were later destroyed by allied bombings in 1991.
• On 25 February 1991, a USMC McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II crash-landed after being hit by ground fire during the Kuwait Liberation War.^[130]
• On 27 February 1991, the airport played host to a large tank battle between U.S. and Iraqi forces during the first Gulf War. It is known today as the Battle of Kuwait International Airport.^[131]
• On 10 December 1999, three US military personnel died when a USAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules made a hard emergency landing at Kuwait International Airport after sustaining damage from landing short of the runway at nearby Jaber al-Ahmad Airbase.^[132]
• On 24 May 2018, a Police Air Wing Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin helicopter was destroyed in a fire that broke out in a military hangar. Another similar helicopter was rescued before the fire reached it.^[133]
• On 7 May 2019, a towing tractor driver was killed when a Kuwait Airways Boeing 777-300ER aircraft being towed rolled over the tractor after the tow-bar broke.^[134]
• On 8 June 2025, Gulf Air Flight 213 received a bomb threat en route to Kuwait. The plane landed safely and after procedures revealed there was no bomb.^[135][136]
• During the 2026 Iran war, the airport was targeted by Iranian drone attacks, causing damage to Terminal 1. Terminal 2 was also targeted. In the 1st attack, 5 were injured, and the June 3 attacks had 63 injuries and 1 casuality. ^{[137][138][139][140]}

• List of the busiest airports in the Middle East
• List of airports with triple takeoff/landing capability

ウィキメディア・コモンズにあるクウェート国際空港関連のメディア

• クウェート国際空港（公式サイト）（英語）
• 航空安全ネットワークにおけるKWIの事故履歴
• SkyVectorのOKBKの航空図と空港情報
• 「OKBKの現在の天気」。NOAA / NWS。