Sihanouk International Airport

Sihanouk International Airport (formerly Sihanoukville International Airport; Khmer: អាកាសយានដ្ឋានអន្តរជាតិខេត្តព្រះសីហនុ; French: Aéroport international de Sihanouk) (IATA: KOS, ICAO: VDSV), located 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Sihanoukville City in Sihanoukville Province, is Cambodia's third largest international airport.^[2] It is named, like the province itself, after King Norodom Sihanouk. The airport is also known as Kang Keng Airport (Khmer: អាកាសយានដ្ឋានកងកេង). The IATA code KOS is derived from Sihanoukville's alternative name, "Kampong Som".^[3]

Sihanouk International Airport អាកាសយានដ្ឋានអន្តរជាតិខេត្តព្រះសីហនុ Aéroport international de Sihanouk
IATA: KOS ICAO: VDSV
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Cambodia Airports
Operator	Vinci Airports
Location	Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Elevation AMSL	40 ft / 12 m
Coordinates	10°34′48″N 103°38′13″E
Website	kos.cambodia-airports.aero
Map
KOS Location of airport in Cambodia
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 03/21 3,300 10,827 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Passenger movements 17,000 92% Aircraft movements 654 79%
www.vinci-airports.com [1]

History

The airfield was originally constructed in the 1960s with assistance from the Soviet Union.^[4] After a long period of dormancy during and after the Khmer Rouge era, the airport formally reopened on 5 January 2007.^[5] The runway was extended to a length of 3,300 metres (10,827 ft) in order to accommodate 4E class aircraft. The 2 existing taxiways were widened and a cargo apron for 4E class aircraft was added.^[6] However, after the crash of PMTair Flight U4 241 in June 2007 shortly before landing, scheduled passenger flight service to the airport was discontinued until 2011.^[7]

Cambodia Angkor Air started a tri-weekly service from Angkor International Airport in Siem Reap on 14 December 2011. The service was further adjusted to continue Phnom Penh as well, operating a triangle route, Siem Reap-Sihanoukville-Phnom Penh-Siem Reap, starting on 31 March 2013. Starting in September 2013, the airline was scheduled to provide a Siem Reap-Sihanoukville route twice daily during the high peak season.

Airfield summary

• Runway length: 3,300 metres^[8]
• Runway Width: 40 metres + shoulders
• Perpendicular Taxiway: 1
• Number of stands: 5
• Navigation aids and visual aids:
  • VOR/DME (KOS 116.00 10°35'22.8N 102°38'31.5)
  • NDB
  • PAPI
  • Meteo
• Rescue and firefighting: ICAO Level Cat 5

Airlines and destinations

Sihanouk International Airport main gate

Airlines	Destinations
AirAsia	Kuala Lumpur–International[9]
AirAsia Cambodia	Kuala Lumpur–International[10]
Air Cambodia	Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi,[11] Ho Chi Minh City,[12] Siem Reap[13]
Ruili Airlines	Wuxi[14]
Thai AirAsia	Bangkok–Don Mueang (resumes 1 October 2025)[citation needed]

Statistics

Annual passenger traffic at KOS airport. See Wikidata query.

Year	Total[15] Passenger movements	Change %	Total Aircraft movement	Change %
2012	13,022		349
2013	19,713	51.38	570	63.32
2014	43,400[16]	120.16	998	75.09
2015	94,630	118.04	1,853	85.67
2016	156,887	65.79	2,627	41.77
2017	338,000[17]	115.4	5,575	112.2
2018	651,000	92.6	8,274	48.4
2019	1,680,000	158.1	17,824	115.4
2020	221,000	86.9	3,151	82.3
2021	17,000	92	654	79

Accidents and incidents

• On 7 July 1972, a Douglas DC-3 cargo plane of Cambodia Air Commercial registered as XW-PHW overran the runway on landing at Sihanouk International Airport without fatalities but was damaged beyond economic repair.^[18]
• On 25 June 2007, an Antonov An-24 (XU-U4A) operating as PMTair Flight U4 241 en route from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville crashed about five minutes before landing, killing all 22 passengers and crew on board.

See also

• Phnom Penh International Airport
• Siem Reap International Airport