Fukuoka Airport , formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport in Fukuoka, Japan. It is officially designated a second class airport. It is currently operating at full capacity, and cannot be further expanded. Flights stop at 10 p.m. to allow local residents some peace and quiet, starting again at 7 a.m.. The airport is conveniently located for Fukuoka residents in Hakata-ku, South-East of the city centre. It is connected to the rest of the city by subway and road, and a subway from the airport to the business district takes less than ten minutes. Yet its very convenience raises questions and concerns about its safety. Fukuoka Airport is the fourth busiest passenger airport in Japan. In 2006, 18.1 million people used the airport, while there were 137,000 takeoffs and landings. In the mid-1990s, Delta Air Lines operated a non-stop flight between Fukuoka and Portland, Oregon, where the airline once operated its trans-pacific hub. When the route was dropped due to financial pressure, Fukuoka lost its first and only non-stop service to the mainland U.S. From 1952 to 1972, Fukuoka Airport was the site of a United States Air Force base named Itazuke.
