At the country’s second largest air gates, Kaunas Airport, preparation of the project for developing the passenger terminal has been started. The new airport building in 2022 is planned to be more spacious than the current one. The fast expanding Kaunas Airport is sought to be able to serve conveniently about 2 million passengers a year.

 

Upon completion of a public procurement contract for the preparation of a development project for the passenger terminal at Kaunas Airport, a contract with the successful tenderer – Viltekta UAB company was signed. The value of design works is EUR 278 thousand.

 

The present airport has been planned to be increased by about 3,500 m2, from the current 7,300 m2 up to 10,800 m2. Investments into the terminal development have been estimated to be recovered already in ten years.

 

“We have planned to dismantle also the Eastern and Western facades of the airport and to erect new extensions to the building. The company that won the tendering procedure will start preparing pre-design solutions and a technical design, and will later take care of the construction permit obtaining process. All this is planned to be performed by the middle of 2020, when we will announce a tendering procedure for finding the contractors”. stated the Head of Kaunas Airport Karolis Matulaitis.

 

The development of the terminal is carried out with consideration to growing passenger traffic that has been record-making recently. In 2018, Kaunas Airport independently served 1 million passengers. A record-passenger flow was recorded in May of the current year, when 102,500 passengers was received. A very similar number of passengers was also in June. According to Mr. Matulaitis, passenger traffic processes at the airport territory have to be planned particularly effectively.

 

“This summer we have scrupulously planned the days, and in some cases, even hours, when passenger volumes will reach a peak. In 2019, we await 1.2 million passengers in Kaunas, what is close to the limit of the available terminal capacity. We want to expand the infrastructure of Kaunas Airport so that we would be able to serve per hour 800 passengers and 6 aircraft at one time at both, arrival and departure zones”, commented Mr. Matulaitis.

 

According to the airport development plan, the baggage reclaim area for arriving passengers on the first floor will be expanded, as well as new commercial areas will be installed, the Non-Schengen arrival area will be enlarged, and new restroom facilities will be provided .

 

On the second floor of the airport, enlargement of the waiting zones for aviation security check are planned, as well as installation of a greater number of check-in desks and modern self-service bag drop units. Besides, it has been planned to increase floor areas of “duty free” stores in both, Schengen and Non-Schengen areas, and to install two additional open boarding galleries  that will ensure more convenience access to the aircraft for parents with children and their strollers. On the third floor, warehousing premises are planned to be installed and relocation of a smoking-room has been planned.

 

Based on estimates, the implemented development of the terminal should ensue not only greater effectiveness of aviation services, but also increase non-aviation revenues. Commercial revenues in 2022 are planned to amount to EUR 3 million, i.e. nearly twice than in 2018 when they equalled to EUR 1.7 million.

 

Development works of the Kaunas Airport terminal are planned to be finished by the beginning of 2022. It will be sought to ensure that passengers would be exposed to the least possible inconvenience.

 

About Kaunas Airport


Kaunas Airport belongs to the network of Lithuanian airports that manages three airports in Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga. During 2018, they served 6.3 million passengers and 61 thousand flights. During the summer season, 14 airline companies conduct flights in 86 regular directions to 67 cities in 27 countries. Based on data of the Airports Council International (ACI Europe), Lithuanian Airports contribute to the Lithuania’s GDP by 2.5 percent.

Last updated: 2020 01 07 16:58

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