Pakse International Airport ສະຫນາມບິນສາກົນປາກເຊ
IATA: PKZ ICAO: VLPS
Summary
Airport type	Military of Laos/Civil Aviation Authority
Operator	Military of Laos
Location	Pakxe
Elevation AMSL	351 ft / 107 m
Coordinates	15°08′02″N 105°46′55″E / 15.13389°N 105.78194°E / 15.13389; 105.78194
Map
PKZ Location of airport in Laos
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 15/33 7,874 2,400 Asphalt

Pakse International Airport (IATA: PKZ, ICAO: VLPS) is one of the few international airports in Laos. Pakse is the former southern capital city of the Kingdom of Champasak.

Facilities

The airport has been in use since 1959^[1] and re-opened after renovations in 2001. A new control tower next to the terminal replaced a short one to provide ATC at the airport. The terminal is designed to mimic the Lan Xang-style architecture used for Buddhist temples in Laos.

Though civilian, the airfield is also used by the military. Lao People's Army barracks and the headquarters of Military Region 4 are next to the airport. The airport is a military airfield for Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force aircraft as a detachment base.^[2]

Airlines and destinations

Accidents and incidents

• On 16 October 2013, Lao Airlines Flight 301, operated by an ATR 72–600 crashed into the Mekong River on approach to Pakse, killing all 49 people on board. It was later determined that the causes of the crash included pilot error and poor weather caused by the remnants of Typhoon Nari that were affecting Southern Laos.