Kyiv Sikorsky International Airport (Zhuliany) expects a significant increase in the number of flights in 2022-2023, as a result of which it is planned to double passenger traffic, according to the airport’s website with reference to Board Chairman Denys Kostrzhevsky.
“Our forecasts for the resumption of passenger traffic came true by 98%. We celebrate the new year with pleasure from the work done in difficult 2021 and look to the future with the hope of an even greater increase in passenger traffic,” Kostrzhevsky is quoted as saying.
In his opinion, the next few years will not be easy for the airport team, since it will require considerable efforts, in particular, in connection with the planned expansion of Wizzair’s presence at the airport and preparations for a runway reconstruction in 2023-2024.
“2022 and 2023 are extremely important for us. We will have to make a lot of efforts, because we expect a significant increase in the number of flights. We plan to double our passenger traffic and actually accumulate a financial reserve so as not to lose the team during the period when reconstruction begins,” he said.
The board head also explained that reconstruction will last two years and will take place in two stages.
“In 2022, a runway reconstruction project will be approved and a source of funding for it will be found. The first stage of reconstruction is 2023. The airport staff will work as usual. During this year, aprons, taxiways and lighting equipment will be reconstructed. The second stage is 2024. We will stop the airport operation for the runway reconstruction, but we will keep all the jobs and salaries of employees. We will live on the savings that we will make in 2022-2023. After all, it is very important for me to preserve jobs, professional skills of our employees,” Kostrzhevsky said.
He also said that as a result of reconstruction, the airport’s production capacity will be increased, equipment will be updated, the quality of service and flight safety will improve, and the number of jobs will increase by a third.
Kyiv Sikorsky International Airport currently focuses on the development of the cargo direction, according to the company’s website with reference to the head of the airport board of directors, Denys Kostrzhevsky, said.
“Now we are focused on the development of the cargo direction and see a significant potential. And for this, it is necessary to build high-quality infrastructure at the airport – freight warehouses, customs warehouses, to establish logistics chains. This is one of our strategic goals,” Kostrzhevsky is quoted as saying.
He noted that the market of passenger and freight traffic in Ukraine will develop at an outstripping pace, since the state has a colossal transit potential.
He also said that at the moment there is another investment direction related to the expansion of the range of ground services and the construction of hangars.
“Hangar storage of aircraft is a relevant service, especially when it comes to small aircraft, which are expensive and, in fact, must be stored in the garage. We put a Mercedes, which costs $100,000, in the garage, while we keep an aircraft for $20 million for some reason under the open sky. And now this service is in great demand on the market,” he said.
Passenger traffic at Kyiv Sikorsky International Airport in January-November 2020 amounted to 670,900 passengers, which is 72.2% less than in the same period in 2019.
According to the airport’s website, the number of passengers served on international flights amounted to 656,200, on domestic – 14,700.
The number of flights in January-November 2020 amounted to 11,820 for arrival/departure, which is 53.8% less than the same period in 2019, of which international flights amounted to 9,430, domestic to 2,390.
The most popular international destinations since the beginning of 2020 were Warsaw (Poland), Minsk (Belarus), Berlin (Germany), Vienna (Austria), London (the United Kingdom), Memmingen and Dortmund (Germany), domestic – Zaporizhia, Dnipro and Odesa.
In November 2020, the airport served 24,200 passengers, which is 86.6% less than in November 2019. The number of passengers served on international flights was 22,400, domestic flights – 1,800 passengers.
The number of flights in November 2020 was 865 for arrival/departure, which is 57.4% less than in the same period in 2019, of which international flights were 680, domestic – 185.
The most popular international destinations in November 2020 were Vilnius (Lithuania), Warsaw (Poland), Dortmund (Germany), Berlin (Germany), London (the United Kingdom), Copenhagen (Denmark), Gdansk (Poland); internal – Zaporizhia, Lviv and Odesa.
KYIV AIRPORT, Kyiv Sikorsky International Airport, PASSENGER TRAFFIC
