Barnaul continues to prosper with highest traffic in Western Siberia

Published: 2/21/2000

The Western Siberian department of the FSVT has announced that Barnaul Airport had the highest volume in the region during 1999, increasing traffic by 5% in contrast to its regional competitors in Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk. OAO Aviation Company Altai has invested considerably in the airport in the last few years in improving facilities and is currently involved in building lounges and offices to exploit the airport"s new tax-free economic zone. The company also plans to invest in new refuelling facilities to meet international standards. The airport has seen considerable growth in both passenger and cargo traffic in the last ten years after inheriting the assets of the Barnaul State Aviation Enterprise. The opening of the restructured runway in July 1999 has encouraged, in particular, additional Il-76 traffic and cargo carriers, such as Ilavia and East Line, have doubled the number of their cargo flights, drawn to the airport by its low fees. Passenger traffic has also grown as new carriers have started to use the airport, including Pulkov and Aerokuznetsk, connecting the airport with St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Irkutsk, Rostov-on-Don, Chita, Sochi and Kamchatka in 1999, in addition to increasing flights to Moscow and Germany. The airport expects further new carriers in 2000 and is currently negotiating with six carriers including Mineralny Vody and Samara.

Article ID: 1454