Sokolov: “Our emphasis is on turning Vnukovo into the most technologically advanced, convenient and user-friendly hub for passengers and carriers.”
Despite being the smallest of the three major Moscow airports, Vnukovo’s traffic has shown impressive growth. In 2008, Vnukovo handled 140,000 flights – a 14.7% increase on the previous year. Strong growth was also reported in total traffic flow last year, with 7.9 million annual passengers arriving at the terminal – a 16.7% year-on-year increase.
Vnukovo’s infrastructure development programme to 2015 forecasts further capacity increases to 20-22 million annual passengers. “We see an immense potential for growth in both the national market and Moscow air transport cluster. Vnukovo’s vast network of domestic routes makes it a significant and convenient transfer hub,” said Andrey Sokolov, head of marketing, JSC Vnukovo Handling.
Central to the strategic development plan is the construction of a new Terminal A. The project will provide 250,000sqm of floor space and a spacious arrivals and departures concourse with 25 jetway-equipped gates. The first phase, which is now complete, involved the construction of an underground section to connect the terminal with the adjacent underground station, where high-speed trains will serve the Capital.
Vnukovo’s Terminal A will comprise five main levels, including an underground level, which has already been built to connect the terminal with the adjacent underground station, where high-speed trains will serve the capital.
The opening of Terminal A this year will be a further milestone for boosting competition between the Moscow airports, said Sokolov. “Being the nearest airport to Moscow city centre, Vnukovo International has an indisputable edge and with the seamless mass and private transit infrastructure connecting it to the metropolis, the journey will be cheaper and quicker than from any other,” he said. “Our emphasis is on turning Vnukovo into the most technologically advanced, convenient and user-friendly hub for passengers and carriers.”
Airfield projects
A new air traffic control facility with state-of-the-art equipment was completed in 2007 and upgrading works to Runway 2 are now complete. Runway 1 will be extended and upgraded to achieve ILS ICAO Cat III capability, the apron area is being extended and new rapid taxiways built.
In addition, construction of a new mail and cargo facility is nearing completion and will provide 57,000sqm of floor space, which will be able to handle 150,000 metric tonnes of annual air cargo.
The new Terminal A will be ready to welcome new foreign airlines from 2009 – part of Vnukovo’s strategy to become a ‘highly competitive hub’, announced Sokolov, through ongoing expansion of the airport’s route network both throughout the CIS and internationally. “We pin our hopes on destinations in East Siberia and Russia’s Far East, as well as a number of Asian routes, including those to the CIS destinations,” he said. “We’re also looking to add new routes to Europe, with flights to be operated by national and foreign carriers.”
