During a business trip to the North-Caucasian Federal region Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin held an online video conference on the development of the Russian airport systems. Top managers of Russia’s largest airports, including Mikhail Vasilenko—Chief Executive Officer of Sheremetyevo International Airport—took part in the conference.
During the meeting Mikhail Vasilenko spoke about the results of the five-year-program for modernization of Sheremetyevo Airport. Within the framework of the said program reconstruction of Terminal F had been accomplished and new terminals D and E had been constructed. The three new terminals now form a united “Southern Airport Complex” (SAC) well equipped for the use of the hub technologies. The total area of the complex is approximately 400 thousand square meters, its carrying
As a result of the reconstruction the terminal floor space of Sheremetyevo Airport has increased by 3.5 times, so its passenger carrying capacity amounted to 32 million passengers.
The Chief Executive Officer also noted that “the state has invested 8 billion rubles into the infrastructure of Sheremetyevo Airport, and the total amount of funds, drawn to the construction of the terminal and infrastructural objects have come up to 60 billion of the non-budget funds”.
In the course of his report, Mr. Vasilenko mentioned that passenger traffic flow through Sheremetyevo was steadily growing. If in 2005 it came up to 12.2 million passengers, by 2009 already about 15 million passengers used the airport’s facilities. This year Sheremetyevo has already shown a steady growth of 30% and is planning to service 17 million passengers. For the above-mentioned period the airport’s earnings increased from 4.7 billion rubles to 8 billion rubles, proceeds from non-aviation activities increased twofold.
In the nearest future the airport’s management is planning to start operating a modern air traffic control tower, to open a new terminal for business aviation, to start construction of the largest in Russia cargo terminal.
In the course of his speech the Chief Executive Officer of Sheremetyevo Airport especially mentioned a few “problematic zones” that lie “on the edge” between interests of the government and the Joint-Stock Company. In particular he stressed the importance of the construction of a third runway, especially considering intensive development of “basic” Aeroflot Company’s activities as well as other carriers. He also mentioned an acute necessity in simplification of the customs and passport control formalities.
Mikhail Vasilenko also suggested that the state should “considerably toughen regulations in respect to construction of alien objects around the territory of the airport and provide the due surveillance of the existing ones”. “At the present time Sheremetyevo is facing the necessity to liquidate an illicit damp that has appeared right next to the runway. This is not only an ecological problem, it can directly jeopardize safety of our aircrafts and our passengers due to flocks of birds that can be sucked into aircrafts’ engines,” said the Chief Executive Officer.
“By 2015 Sheremetyevo is planning to become the best Airport hub in Europe from the point of view of the passenger services, and we have already done a lot in this respect. We have built the necessary infrastructure, and now our priority goal is to improve the quality of the servicing,” said Mikhail Vasilenko in conclusion to his speech.
Sheremetyevo International Airport is one of the largest Russian airports that provide regular passenger international flights. In 2009 Sheremetyevo Airport served 14 million 764 thousand passengers. Sheremetyevo has become a SkyTeam hub, moreover, the airport also cooperates with companies, representing Oneworld and StarAlliance. After the planned reconstruction and building of the third runway complex by 2015 the airport will be able to service 35 million passengers per year. 100% of the JSC SIA shares belong to the state.