Batna Mostefa Ben Boulaid Airport — Batna, Algeria

Batna Mostefa Ben Boulaid Airport, identified by the code BLJ, serves the city of Batna in northeastern Algeria, at an elevation of 2,697 feet in the Aures Mountains. The airport is named for Mostefa Ben Boulaid, one of the historic leaders of Algeria's war of independence in the 1950s, a naming choice reflecting the Aures region's central role in that conflict. As a large airport, BLJ operates a single runway serving domestic routes connecting Batna to Algiers and other major Algerian cities. Mountain peaks ring the field on several sides, a rugged setting typical of the Aures range and its place in Algeria's modern history. BLJ supports both passenger traffic for this regional population center and a degree of seasonal travel tied to the surrounding highlands. Even with only one runway, the field handles a steady flow of travelers moving between Batna and the wider reach of northeastern Algeria today.