From the corner of the Rakov estate Okęcie emerged. Its name a whisper from the 16th century. A corner location giving rise to a significant Warsaw neighborhood.
Okęcie today is best known for its airport. Opened in 1934 by President Ignacy Mościcki. The Central Airport Okęcie replaced the Mokotów Field aerodrome. Its modernist terminal boasted a pastel-colored hall. This contained ticket offices a customs post telegraph and post office. A police station and a kiosk completed the picture. A restaurant and viewing terrace offered stunning views. The airport cost the State Treasury around zl 10 million. In its first year Okęcie served over 10000 passengers.
World War II devastated Okęcie. It became a battleground between the German army and the Polish resistance. Bombed relentlessly by the Luftwaffe it was later used by the Germans. They established aviation schools and a Junkers aircraft repair works. The Germans built Okęcie’s first concrete runway and taxiways. These survived until the German withdrawal. The Germans then destroyed the remaining buildings and infrastructure. This was to prevent the advancing Red Army and Polish First Army from using them.
After the war LOT Polish Airlines restarted operations using the surviving infrastructure. A new terminal control tower and aircraft stands were quickly built. By the 1950s Okęcie connected with most Polish cities and many international destinations. In 1969 a new terminal opened handling its first million passengers a year later. This soon proved too small. A temporary arrival hall was constructed. The pre-war terminal site continued to handle domestic flights. Later in 1978 a new arrivals hall the ‘Finnish Hall’ opened. Runway upgrades followed. Runway 2 was redesignated as taxiway Delta because of obstacles like the Palace of Culture and Science and the Raszyn radio transmitter.
Political events in the 1980s impacted passenger numbers but growth resumed quickly. In 1987 the State Enterprise Polish Airports PPL took over management. Post-communist development saw a new terminal built in 1990. Completed in 1992 this terminal had capacity for 3.5 million passengers. In 2001 the airport was renamed in honor of Frédéric Chopin. However Okęcie remains in popular use. A new Terminal 2 opened in 2008. Today the airport boasts Terminal A and an underground railway station.
Okęcie’s history is a tapestry of growth destruction and rebuilding. From its humble beginnings as a village on the edge of an estate it has become a major international airport. A vital part of Warsaw and Poland’s story. It’s a testament to the resilience and determination of the people of Okęcie.