Airport Name and ICAO/IATA Code
Manas International Airport (ICAO: UCFM / IATA: BSZ)Recently changed from FRU, which originated from when the city was named Frunze during the Soviet Era.
Location (City, Country)
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Airport Type & Size
Uniquely large ramp for an airport of its size. It has one runway, 07/25, that is 4,204m long. 3.5 million passengers per year (2017), but has lots of parking spaces, a large cargo depot, and can support some of the largest aircraft. The airport had lots of activity during in the early 2000s, but all that is left is the remnants of the facilities once used to service the large volume of military and civilian traffic through the airport.Unsure about A380, but it can definitely support B748s. Much of the airport was expanded in the early 2000s during its tenure as a forward base/transit center for the USAF, and so there are sufficient parking slots for large planes such as the 747-8 and the C-5 at the airport. It can likely support quite a few of these large aircraft. Satellite images on globalsecurity.org, from 2003, show it has supported the An-124, however there are no ground pictures of it.
Why should this airport be added to World of Airports?
It is a hub for Aero Nomad Airlines, Avia Traffic Company, and Asman Airlines. During their respective existence, it was also a hub for Kyrgyzstan Airlines and AirManas.It would represent a country not yet featured in WoA, to my knowledge, and it is located in an ideal spot for operations between Europe and Asia. If layover stops are ever added, it is positioned in an ideal spot to facilitate layovers, along with being very well suited to cargo operations. It is also a very good airport for facilitating the use of Eastern aircraft, if/when such aircraft are added to the game.
As it is currently undergoing expansion, it also has promise to turn into a large hub that players can take the helm of.
Major Airlines & Routes
All Kyrgyz airlines are currently banned from flying into the EU, due to safety concerns, however it is hoped they will be removed from the blacklist in early 2026. Should they be successful in being removed from the blacklist, it will once again allow Kyrgyz airlines, particularly Asman Airlines, planning to lease Airbus aircraft, to once again fly into the EU.
Kyrgyzstan Airlines (Former) - Frankfurt, Hannover, Istanbul, BirminghamAero Nomad Airlines - Delhi, Islamabad, Nha Trang
Asman Airlines - Various local and regional connections
Avia Traffic Company - Various local and regional connections
China Southern and Loong Air - Beijing Daxing, Urumqi, Chengdu Tianfu, Xi’an
Centrum Air, TezJet, and Uzbekistan Airways - Tashkent
Turkish Airways and Pegasus Airlines - Istanbul
Unique Features or Challenges
Very early and snowy winters with poor conditions, requiring frequent de-icing and hampering air operations due to low visibility conditions.One runway and limited taxiway connections thereupon, limiting aircraft throughput. There exists a “stub” of taxiway extending towards the end of runway 26 (now runway 25), which may potentially be purchasable by players as an “upgrade” to improve throughput.
Large ramp with lots of parking spaces for the size of airport, including potential for many combined stands to facilitate a large cargo operation.
Optional: Links, images, maps, or videos
Wikipedia - Manas International AirportTurkish Airlines and an airline I don’t recognize (sorry) parked at Manas
Overhead view of the reconstruction rendering showing the size of aircraft that could be accommodated in the future
Multiple sized planes parked at Manas, showing the size that can be accommodated
A SilkWay 747 parked at Manas
A Comac C919 cargo aircraft performing their first cargo flight/unloading at the airport, July 2025
A USAF C-5 Galaxy being refueled by a KraZ truck at Manas
USAF aircraft parked at Manas in ~2009
De-icing operations at Manas, 2008
USAF Flight Line at Manas during its tenure, showing the capacity that can be reached for large aircraft
Delta flight at Manas, showcasing who used to fly to Manas during its tenure for the US
airManas A220 parked at Manas
Ramp picture of the terminal, showcasing the jetbridges installed in the early 2000s, and featuring a parked Slovak Government Flying Service Tu-154M(?)
