Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz Air Base

The primary reason for closure was urban encroachment. The airport, originally built on the outskirts of the city, became surrounded by the rapidly expanding residential districts of Gdańsk, particularly Wrzeszcz and the newly planned Zaspa district. This urban growth made any further expansion of the runway or terminal facilities impossible, created significant noise pollution for residents, and posed increasing safety risks. A new, larger airport was needed to accommodate modern jet aircraft and growing passenger numbers, leading to the construction of the replacement facility in Rębiechowo, further from the city center.

The site of the former airport has been completely and irreversibly redeveloped. It is now occupied by large, densely populated residential housing estates, primarily the districts of Zaspa-Młyniec and Zaspa-Rozstaje, which were built throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. The layout of some of the area's main roads, such as Aleja Rzeczypospolitej and Aleja Jana Pawła II, clearly follows the path of the former runways and taxiways. A significant portion of the former runway is now a large park, Park im. Jana Pawła II, named in commemoration of the papal mass held there by Pope John Paul II for an estimated one million people in 1987. No original airport buildings or infrastructure remain.

Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz Airport, historically known as Flughafen Danzig-Langfuhr, was the main airport for the Tri-City area (Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia) for over 60 years.

- **Origins:** It was established around 1910 as a military airfield for the German Empire.
- **Interwar Period:** During the time of the Free City of Danzig (1920-1939), it became a crucial international airport, handling flights from major airlines like Deutsche Luft Hansa and LOT Polish Airlines, connecting Danzig to cities like Berlin, Warsaw, and Königsberg.
- **World War II:** It served as a strategic airbase for the German Luftwaffe.
- **Post-War Era:** After 1945, it was taken over by Poland and became the primary gateway to the region, serving both civilian passenger flights operated by LOT and military operations for the Polish Air Force. For decades, it was the only major air link for this vital port and industrial region.

There are absolutely no plans or prospects for reopening the airport. The land has been entirely redeveloped into a dense urban environment with thousands of homes, schools, shops, and public parks. Re-establishing an airport at this location is physically and logistically impossible.