Kikai Airport

Kikai Airport (喜界空港, Kikai Kūkō) (IATA: KKX, ICAO: RJKI), also known as Kikaijima Airport^[2] or Kikaiga Shima Airport,^[3] is located in Kikai, a town on Kikaijima (also known as Kikai Island, Kikaishima, Kikaigashima, etc.), one of the Amami Islands in the Kagoshima Prefecture of Japan.

Kikai Airport Kikai/Kikaigashima Island Airport 喜界空港 Kikai Kūkō
IATA: KKX ICAO: RJKI
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Government
Location	Kikai, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
Elevation AMSL	15 ft / 5 m
Coordinates	28°19′17″N 129°55′41″E
Map
RJKI Location in Japan Show map of Kagoshima Prefecture RJKI RJKI (Japan) Show map of Japan
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 07/25 1,200 3,937 Asphalt
Statistics (2015)
Passengers 79,892 Cargo (metric tonnes) 184 Aircraft movement 4,006
Source: Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism[1]

History

An airstrip was opened on the island of Kikaijima in 1931 by the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was attacked by the United States Navy repeatedly during the Battle of Okinawa in the final stages of World War II. One of the pilots on these raids was Samuel Hynes, later a well-known author and university professor. He flew a single-engine Avenger aircraft.^[4] In May 1968, the old airstrip was re-opened for commercial use with a 1200-meter runway. The airport was closed from August to December 1968 to permit strengthening of the runway. In April 1971, it was designated as a third-class airport by the Japanese government.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Japan Air Commuter	Amami Ōshima, Kagoshima