Kaunas Airport in Lithuania has issued tenders for its passenger terminal and northern apron expansion projects which are expected to be completed in 2025.
According to Kaunas Airport, the airport is projected to handle more than 1.3 million passengers in 2023, well above its design capacity. Through the expansion, the passenger terminal area at Kaunas Airport will increase by about 4,300m2, and the airport’s departure and arrival areas will be able to handle more than 800 passengers and up to six aircraft simultaneously. In comparison, Kaunas Airport is currently able to handle four flights at a time.
The project involves the dismantling of the eastern and western facades of the airport and the addition of two new extensions on the sides. Baggage reclaim areas, Schengen and non-Schengen arrival areas and passenger areas will be extended. Technological modernization and innovation are also planned.
The new apron will cover an area of more than 35,000m2 and will provide additional aircraft parking and engine testing facilities. Once the project is completed, the number of aircraft parking spaces at Kaunas Airport is expected to increase more than one and a half times. The changes are intended to not only expand passenger capacity but also to increase the volume of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, as Kaunas Airport is an aircraft repair and maintenance base in the Baltic region. This is expected to create conditions for the growth of freight traffic.
Marius Skuodis, Lithuania Minister of Transport and Communications, said, “The development of the infrastructure of Kaunas Airport is of great importance for both the state’s economic and national defense plans. Kaunas Airport is one of the fastest-recovering airports in the region and has been exceeding the pre-pandemic results since the spring of last year. The existing terminal is already tearing at the seams at certain times because it is not equipped to handle such a rapid growth in passenger numbers. It is also very important that this airport is a logistics hub for NATO partners. Military mobility projects are being prepared, which will also contribute to expanding the airport’s capabilities.”
Aurimas Stikliūnas, Interim CEO of Lithuanian Airports, commented, “These two development projects are among the strategic priorities of Lithuanian Airports in 2023. They will ensure the sustainable development of the network of Lithuanian airports as a whole and, when completed in 2025, will enable them to serve more than 10 million passengers per year. These developments will also strengthen Kaunas Airport‘s position as a leader in aircraft maintenance in the Baltic region. We are looking for contractors both in Lithuania and abroad. When announcing the procurement, we have set a target that the real expansion works in both the passenger terminal and the northern apron could start already at the end of this year.
“The benefits of the expansion of the northern apron of Kaunas Airport will be felt by the Lithuanian airport network and partners. We have no doubt that the infrastructure development projects will bring long-term financial returns to the state, as the expanded northern apron means additional revenues and new opportunities for Kaunas Airport.”
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