Pulkovo Airport - Today

Today

As of 2010, Pulkovo is the 4th busiest in Russia after Moscow's Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports. While the number of domestic and international flights increased, the number of passengers stagnated between 1990 (4,837,000) and 2006 (just over 5 million) while the share of international traffic rose. It is anticipated that by 2025 Pulkovo airport will handle 17 million passengers.

There are two passenger terminals: Pulkovo-1 for domestic flights, and Pulkovo-2 for international flights. There is also one cargo terminal. There are forty-seven aircraft stands total. It is planned to increase the number of aircraft stands to 100 by 2025.

The airport has two main runways. Runway 10R/28L (Russian: 10п/28л) is 3782 m long and 60 m wide, it has asphalt surface on the base made of reinforced armored concrete. The second runway is 3410 m long and 60 m wide, it has asphalt surface on the base made of reinforced cemento-concrete. The reconstruction of the second runway began in 2007.

Terminal 1 mainly serves flights within Russia and the CIS countries. Some international charter flights are also served by Terminal 1, those are tourist flights as well as private business jets. For example the private jet owned by Steve Forbes was served at Terminal 1, and thousands of people witnessed its "Forbes — the tool of capitalism" logo proudly exposed on the body of 737.

Terminal 2 serves most of the long-haul international flights. Terminal 1 was built in 1973, whereas Terminal 2 was built in 1950s and reconstructed in 2003.

In the near term, Pulkovo strategically focuses on its master plan until 2025 that calls for massive modernization of the entire airport infrastructure. A new terminal will be located directly to the north of the Terminal 1 and will contain 18 gates. The construction was planned to begin in 2008 with scheduled completion in 2010/11, but construction started only in spring 2011.

In May 2008, the City of Saint Petersburg has opened a 1.5 bn USD tender for a 30 year concession to operate Pulkovo Airport. Fraport has won the tender and is operating the airport.

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