Dmitry Medvedev Has Checked Vladivostok Airport Readiness for the APEC Summit
03-Jul-2012 Today July 3, 2012 Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev accompanied by First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov during his visit to the capital of Primorsky Krai has inspected the Vladivostok International Airport terminal. On the results of airport modernization Dmitry Medvedev was informed by Director General of JSC Sheremetyevo International Airport Mikhail Vasilenko.
D.A. Medvedev inspected a new passenger Terminal A, which is in the final stage of construction and will start servicing the first passengers later this month. Mikhail Vasilenko gave a tour of a new modern airport terminal for the Chairman of the RF Government and accompanying persons and spoke about the technological features and innovative solutions applied in the terminal construction, as well as of the possibility of its further development. Mikhail Vasilenko said that investment in the project amounted to about 6.3 billion rubles, and the main investor was JSC Sheremetyevo International Airport.
In turn, D. Medvedev gave his assessment of the results of Vladivostok Airport modernization for the APEC 2012 Summit and noted the great opportunities offered by a modern high-tech airport for the residents of Primorye, airlines and the development of the region as a whole.
It is to be recalled that by RF President Decree in 2008 52.2% of JSC Vladivostok International Airport shares were transferred to the control of JSC Sheremetyevo International Airport (JSC SIA).
The strategic goal of Vladivostok International Airport (VIA) is to become the main transport hub for Russian passengers heading to South-East Asia, and flights between North-East Asia and North America. Vladivostok is located near the countries of Pacific Asia, which in recent years experienced high rates of economic growth. Due to its convenient geographical location this area is of strategic importance to the air transport sector in the region and the country.
Construction of a new international terminal started in August 2009. The first test flight took place on June 1, 2012. The total area of the airport complex is 47,500 square meters, the landside area spans 40,000 square meters. Commercial areas make up about 30% of the total area of the terminal. A railroad connection allows air express trains to arrive directly to the terminal building.
The throughput capacity of the new terminal is 1,360 passengers per hour or 3.5 million passengers per year. The new terminal will be able to handle simultaneously international and domestic passengers (30% and 70% of the total figure respectively).
The terminal building will have three floors. The building will house waiting rooms, transfer zones, business class lounges, lounges for passengers with small children, health centers, airline offices, and offices of service companies. The new terminal will boast modern security systems, registration systems, and automated luggage sorting and screening systems.
Energy-saving technologies and solar energy conservation solutions have become an important element in arranging the layout of the terminal.
NACO (Netherlands Airport Consultants B.V) Consortium has created a master plan for development of Vladivostok Airport through 2030. The strategic vision is to turn the airport into a comfortable hub for international and regional flights. By 2030 the passenger flow is expected to reach 10 million passengers per year.
On November 3, 2011, to support the airport as an international hub, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation ordered to remove all restrictions for flights by foreign airlines to Vladivostok International Airport. This includes fifth degree free air flights between Vladivostok and airports in third countries.
Development of Vladivostok Airport will have a significant socio-economic impact as it will help increase competition in international air travel and bring down ticket prices for international flights from Vladivostok. This, in turn, will promote growth of the number of direct flight and transfer passengers, help add new destinations and improve accessibility of air transportation.
Development of VIA as a major regional and international airport will promote further economic development of Vladivostok and the Far East, and will have a positive impact on availability of air transport services, mobility of regional population, development of infrastructure, creation of new jobs and better life quality in general.