Asmara Airport

Formerly known as Yohannes IV International Airport, Asmara International Airport is the airport serving the capital city of Eritrea, Asmara, although it is too small to serve many of the larger aircraft and airlines being restricted to just FlyDubai, EgyptAir, Turkish Airlines, Sudan Airways as well as Eritrean Airlines. The airport has a dual civilian and military function serving as a base for the Eritrean Air Force. It was initially constructed in 1922 by the Italian authorities during the colonial period and has had a chequered history being nearly destroyed by the British during the Second World War then, after its renovation, being almost destroyed again (twice) during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War after which it started accepting international flights on achieving independence.

Whilst called an international airport Asmara airport, which is only about one mile south-west of Asmara itself making commuting to the capital easy by taxi or bus, has the look and feel of a smaller, provincial airport, boasting just a short runway, cafe (though for those who want something more substantial to eat, there's a nearby restaurant), bar called 'Take Off', bookshop and giftstore that sells alcohol and and souvenirs. Oh, and there's lots of marble covering most of the floor and wall space. Exact figures for its usage are not known, but it is believed to be used by only around 150,000 travellers each year not least because of its limited gate and lounge capacity that restrict the number of flights.