A defined area of land or water (including any buildings, installations and equipment) intended to be used either wholly or in part for the arrival, departure and surface movement of aircraft and open for commercial air transport operations.

The airport category in year N is determined, in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) 1358/2003 as amended, on the basis of the reference year N-2 (or N - for category 3) using the number of passenger units. The number of passenger units is the sum of the number of passengers carried, direct transit passengers and the total freight / mail loaded and unloaded (divided by 10 tonnes) in the reference year at the airport. The number of passenger units is:

- for a category 0 airport ¦ less than 15 000,

- for a category 1 airport ¦ at least 15 000, but not more than 150 000,

- for a category 2 airport ¦ more than 150 000, but less than 1 500 000,

- for a category 3 port ¦ at least 1 500 000.