New! The airport in Królewiec is experiencing an increase in passenger and combat traffic

wbijamszpile.pl 1 year ago

The airport at Królewiec, besides known as Chabrowo, recorded a crucial increase in passenger and combat traffic in the first half of 2024. In particular, the second data officially provided by airport authorities should be of interest to NATO associate States.

Between January and June 2024, 2,013 943 passengers were served on home airlines, an increase of 14% compared to the first half of 2023. The largest passenger traffic was recorded on routes to Moscow and St. Petersburg, utilizing 1,801 560 passengers.

Flights were besides held to specified cities as Novosibirsk, Kazan, Psków, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Orenburg, Czerepowiec, Perm, Izhevsk, Murmansk, Ivanowo, Archangelsk, Pietrozawodsk, Samara, Uljanovsk. In 2024 3 fresh directions were opened – to Kaluga, Saratov and Kirova, and flights to Chelabinska and Ufa resumed.

International flights

Unlike home traffic, the number of passengers on global voyages decreased by 28 percent compared to the erstwhile year. From January to June 2024, 32 167 people were transported on global routes.

The main global directions are regular flights to Minsk, Belarus and charter flights to Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt.

Combat traffic and trade in goods

The number of combat flights in the first half of 2024 increased by 9.3%, reaching 6556 operations. At the same time, the turnover of goods exceeded the consequence of 2023 by 21 percent, amounting to 1000.521 tonnes.Information was provided by the airport authorities. The increase in passenger traffic and cargo should not surprise, due to the fact that this is now a worldwide trend. On the another hand, the increase in the traffic of combat aircraft should worry especially the authorities in Warsaw and Vilnius.

June Results

At the end of June 2024, the number of passengers served at Chabrowo airport increased by 11% compared to June 2023, reaching 499,950 people. The largest passenger traffic was recorded on national routes that handled 490 456 passengers, an increase of 13% compared to the erstwhile year.

Investment and infrastructure development

The cost of a comprehensive revitalization of Chabrowo Airport in the Royal territory is estimated at 13–13.5 billion rubles, according to ‘Interfax’ citing the manager General of the Airport, Alexander Korytny. The task includes 2 key tasks: to extend the main taxiway and to extend the passenger terminal to accommodate more passengers.

Technical task and financing

The method documentation on the construction of the taxiway is ready and awaiting approval. The cost of the task is estimated at 5.5 billion rubles. The task will be implemented through a public-private partnership: 60% of backing will be provided by the national budget, and the remainder will be covered by the holding company “Novaport”. It is planned to extend the taxiway by 2 kilometres. The Russian Ministry of Transport promised to find 5.5 billion rubles for this project.

Extension of passenger terminal

The expansion of the passenger terminal will only be financed by a private investor, ‘Novaport’. The cost of this task is estimated at 7.5–8 billion rubles. The preparatory work is already underway and the extension of the passenger terminal building, covering a two-story addition of 10 1000 square meters, is expected to begin in 2025.

History of the revitalization of Chabrowo Airport

Chabrowo Airport was reopened after revitalization in April 2018. As part of the project, a fresh 3,350-metre long runway was built, which can handle almost all types of aircraft.

The improvement and modernisation of Chabrowo airport aims to increase its passenger service capacity. In addition, infrastructure improvements have been envisaged, which will let up to 7 million passengers per year in the future.