Donetsk Unveils New Airport Terminal

Kyiv, May 14, 2012. Country officials open the renewed terminal at Donetsk international airport in Ukraine just in time for EURO 2012. The renewed airport boasts a seven-storey terminal capable of servicing up to 3,100 passengers per hour (compared to 700 prior to the reconstruction), reads the statement by Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry.

Donetsk airport recently introduced an artificial runway suitable for all types of airplanes, including the heavy Boeing 747 and Airbus A380. It also boasts the tallest in the country 52 meter control tower. The International Civil Aviation Organization granted the airport the ICAO III A category, allowing it to accept landings at zero visibility conditions.

Airport’s renewed infrastructure will help manage the increasing number of passengers arriving to the eastern Ukrainian city for EURO 2012. The new terminal in Donetsk will receive its first international flights on May 15^th.

Ukrainian state budget contributed USD 758 million into the Donetsk airport reconstruction. Additionally, private investments and local budget funded the construction. Curiously, in November of 2011 the airport was named after one of the world’s most popular classical composers – Serhiy Prokofiev, originating from Donetsk.

EURO 2012 triggered reconstruction works at Kyiv and Lviv airports, while Donetsk and Kharkiv ones were built from scratch. In April 2012 western Ukrainian EURO 2012 host city Lviv opened a new international terminal. The terminal now services up to 2,100 persons per hour. Interestingly, Budapest airport has the channel capacity of 970 persons per hour (8.5 million a year).

In late 2011 international airports in Kharkiv and Kyiv finished renovations. The reconstruction at Kharkiv airport produced a new 2.5 kilometer runway (allowing the airport to service Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 landings), renewed infrastructure, a terminal, and a VIP-section. New terminal F at Boryspil airport in Ukraine’s capital now has the waiting zone of 5,670 square meters and channel capacity of 2,400 passengers per hour. Comparably, Moscow’s Domodedovo airport has 2,900 square meters waiting area.

Final renovations are under way at Kyiv airports of Zhuliany and Boryspil. On May 17, 2012, Zhuliany will get a new terminal with a total area of 14,270 square meters and channel capacity of 320 persons per hour. In June 2012 Boryspil will open additional terminal D, servicing over 20 planes at a time. Currently, Boryspil operates 62 percent of passenger traffic in the country.

Photos courtesy Donetsk International Airport, Facebook