Stockholm - Bromma Airport

Stockholm-Bromma Airport in Stockholm, Sweden was opened in 1936 by King Gustav V. It was the very first airport in Europe to have paved runways.

During World War II, the Bromma Airport was used for flights to the UK. Because these flights sometimes had Danish and Norwegian refugees, the German spies were interested. Two Bromma flights were shot down by the Germans during that war. After the war ended, the airport began to flourish, with flights from the Bromma airport for Akteibolaget Aerotransport (ABA) which later became the Swedish partner in the noted Scandinavian Airline System (SAS), and also Linjeflyg, the main Swedish domestic airline which later became a part of SAS.

During the 1950’s, it was determined that the Broma Airport was not large enough or with long enough runways for intercontinental flights, and so the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport was built.

In 1960-1962, the Arlanda Airport was opened, and all the international flights moved to that airport. In 1983, the domestic flights moved as well.

Currently, Bromma is home to business jets, general aviation, and flight schools. The government also uses the facility. There is also a new outdoor shopping center near the airport which was built out of several of the old hangars.

More recently, Malmö Aviation has started using this airport. They offer service to Gothenburg, Malmö and London City Airport. That has given this airport a surge of activity. In 2002, the terminal was renovated and a new control tower was put into use. It is located on Ranhammarshöjden. In 2005, there were even more improvements.

This airport is not likely to grow, due to limitations because of noise issues (there have already been many limitations put in place, in terms of limits on times and types of aircraft), the lack of space, and the desire to keep the cultural heritage in the old airport buildings themselves. There is still plenty of room at the Arlanda Airport, and there is a lot of support for the plan to use the land surrounding Bromma airport for other uses.

Bromma does have an advantage over the Arlanda Airport, in that it is closer to the center of Stockholm. But now that there is the fast rail link at Arlanda, that advantage is not nearly so great as it once was.

It is the third largest airport in Sweden, both in terms of passenger numbers and take offs and landings.