For the rendition in Grand Theft Auto III and Liberty City Stories, see Francis International Airport (3D Universe).
Francis International Airport (IATA: FIA), often referred to as Francis International, is the only international airport in Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars serving Liberty City. It is located in the eponymous neighborhood in the borough of Dukes.
Description[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
The airport is located on a one-way, anticlockwise oval road that bounds a parking lot and parking garage. The airport consists of a diamond-shaped main terminal flanked by a pair of symmetrical concourses that each have a concourse hub. The northern concourse is connected to the Francis International Airport Station, situated within the parking lot, by the means of a skybridge that runs over the oval road. To the south, the airport has a freight terminal and a freight port and, to the north, a head office building and a hangar, with three helipads before it. FlyUS Perennials and FlyUS Ferocis can be found cruising around the approach roads and parking lots, and many of ULDs (aircraft containers) bearing the FlyUS logo and FU serial markings are spread out.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars[]
The airport is considerably different in GTA Chinatown Wars. None of the airplanes have any logos on them, and there are more helipads to the north; yet, since helicopters in the game aren't pilotable, these are empty.
Aircraft[]
The concourse hubs are fringed by 5 stationary planes based on the Boeing 747-300; however, a sixth plane of the sort can be seen taxying perpetually on the runway. 8 jets similar to Bombardier CRJ-100s are parked on aircraft stands. A dedicated terminal for Adios Air, which can be found on the northern part of the main terminal, is the only indication of a rival airline.
Known Airlines and Destinations[]
Airlines | Known Destinations |
---|---|
Adios Airlines | Los Santos, Puerto Rico |
Air Emu | Los Santos, Regional |
AirSol | Los Santos |
FlyUS | Los Santos, Las Venturas, Vice City |
Security[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
FIA is one of the three restricted areas of Liberty City alongside the Civilization Committee Complex and the Alderney State Correctional Facility. Entering the runway or certain inner grounds of the airport on foot or in a land vehicle will trigger a four-star wanted level. On the other hand, hovering over the airport in a helicopter will only grant the player two stars. Additionally, several LCPD officers and security guards watch over the terminal, subway station and runway entrances.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars[]
Entering the airport does not trigger a wanted level.
Influences[]
The airport's terminal and control tower are based on Terminal 5 (the former TWA Terminal) and the control tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, NY, respectively, while the runway design emulates that of LaGuardia Airport, also in Queens. The airport's logo resembles that used on the defunct Pan American World Airways.
Gallery[]
Events of Grand Theft Auto[]
Multiplayer[]
Three Annihilator helicopters parked on three helipads (two Buzzards and one Annihilator in TBoGT) can be flown in multiplayer, and is the starting point for the co-operative mission Hangman's NOOSE. Also, Team Deathmatch games can be started in the airport.
Prominent Appearances in Missions[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
Multiplayer[]
The Lost and Damned[]
The Ballad of Gay Tony[]
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars[]
Transport[]
The airport is served by the Francis International Airport station by the Broker Line.
Places of Interest[]
Glitches[]
- Upon entering the tarmac area, the player's wanted level will quickly change to 4 stars, regardless of the previous level. So, one could lower their 5 or 6 star wanted level to 4 stars. This is apparent in the Xbox 360 version of the game. Although if the player hovers in a helicopter, they will only get a 2 star wanted level.
- It is also possible to enter the terminal building, by a glitch, but since it wasn't intended to be accessible, it has no interior. An example of this can be seen here. A video showing how to actually get inside some buildings can be seen here.
- If the player lands a helicopter on top of the rotating radar, the player will find that when they land on it, they will be able to walk around on invisible ground.
Trivia[]
- Although aircraft constantly taxi up and down runways, no aircraft take off from or land at the airport outside of missions. Passing aircraft do not land either, instead flying low over the airport before regaining altitude; this is a loose reference to the go-around procedure. In GTA Chinatown Wars, however, aircraft do take off from and land at the airport, but arriving aircraft do not move off the runway.
- The signs at the end of the runway read "Caution your blast".
- On the lower runway, beside it there is a sign on the ground written in spray paint, saying "Welcome to Liberty City".