Palma de Mallorca Son Sant Joan

Continent: Europe

Country: Spain

Palma de Mallorca Son Sont Joan
Location	Palma de Mallrca, Balearic Islands, Spain
IATA code	PMI
ICAO code	LEPA
Airport type	Commercial (minor military presence)
Website	http://www.aena.es
Overview map	[ ]
Communications
Tower
Ground
Clearance
Approach
ATIS

Official Spotting Locations

none

Other Spotting Locations

Terminal building

There are no views from inside the terminal building landside.
Once airside, there are windows in each of the four gate areas, but with limited views onto small parts of the apron. Some locations give views onto one of the runways, too, but none is good for photography as windows are tinted.

Parking garage

For the spotter in a hurry, the top level of the car park opposite the terminal building can serve as a vantage point, but views are restricted to the southwestern ends of the runways and some longterm remote stands.

Around the airport

There are a number of locations around the airport's perimeter, but to get there a car or a bike are recommended.

1. The end of Camino de Son Fangos at "39.548065, 2.707282" (coordinates for google maps) can be reached on foot from the nearby Carrefour supermarket, but views from there aren't too good. Do not get fooled by Google maps: The camino is interrupted by the airport perimeter in direction north and you cannot head directly to location #2 (even on foot) !
   
2. West of runway 24R on Carrer Lluchmajor "39.554784,2.719846". Do not go there on foot, as when coming from the west, you will have to bypass Palma's "slum" at Son Banya (a place not recommended to be after nightfall). Growing bushes on the other side of the airport fence more and more are obstructing views.
   
3. Much better is a location further north that can be reached from the village of Son Ferriol "39.560280, 2.730200". This is a dead end with not more than 2 cars to park; keep the entrance to the farm clear ! Stay off the private properties including the fields itself. This location offers good views of runway 24R and western / northern apron. Traffic on runway 24L can be monitored, too, but not much more.
4. Northeast of the airport: With runway 24L used for arrivals you can also park at location "39.559321, 2.769432" and have landing aircraft buzz right overhead you. The sun should be no problem for head-on shots.
   
5. With runway 06R used for departures, try to head for the park at Poligono Son Oms (walking distance from the Playa de Palma): "39.539926,2.735167".
   

Locations to Avoid

After nightfall, stay away from the area of "Son Banya" to the west of the airfield (see Spotting location 2 above) or drive through quickly.

Regular Traffic

During busy summer season almost every carrier in Europe flies to PMI.
Winter is considerably less busy with pax numbers falling to a 10th of summer peak numbers.

The single biggest carrier in PMI is Air Berlin for whom PMI is a hub airport.
More details of airlines serving PMI can be found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_Sant_Joan_Airport and the appropriate other languages.

Runway usage

Only runways 06L/24R and 06R/24L are used regularly; runway 06C/24C only serves as a taxiway nowadays (therefore some sources list 2, others 3 runways, but the aerial view reveals that that strip of concrete is still maintained as a runway).

Unless there is construction work going on or in case of emergency closure of runway 06L/24R, runway 24L is not used for departures and 06R is not used for landings. This is in order to shield the village of C'an Pastilla from excessive aircraft noise (even now it gets loud there).
The only execption I have witnessed sofar were military flights by a CASA turbo-prop.

Southwesternly operations

24L: arrivals only
24R: primarily departures; sparse arrivals mainly by props from time to time

Northeasternly operations

06R: departures only (strictly followed)
06L: arrivals; sparsely departures of props

Facilities and Transportation

Rental cars, taxi.
Local bus EMT #1 runs into city center Palma (and onwards along the port area) at 15 minute intervals. Current (Aug-2008) fare is €1.85 oneway. http://www.emtpalma.es