Business news

MINSK, 23 October (BelTA) – The Transport and Communications Ministry has plans to construct a new terminal at Minsk National Airport, Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Anatoly Sivak said at a press conference at BelTA on 23 October, BelTA has learned.

“We have a problem: two months this year and last year the airport welcomed more passengers than the existing terminal could handle. The terminal capacity makes up 5.8 million passengers. In June and July the air travel exceeded the available terminal capacity. It is high time to start building another terminal at Minsk National Airport,” Anatoly Sivak said.

The minister noted that another important infrastructure project is construction of the Flight Operations Center. The construction project is already nearing completion. He explained that all these infrastructure facilities are located at the Minsk National Airport terminal and they needed upgrade. “This will enable us to take air traffic service to a brand new level. At present there are 23 air corridors over Belarus. Technological progress made it possible to let aircraft in at any place upon agreement with neighbors and let it leave our air space at any point as well. It was important to finalize this matter. Apart from that, the existing terminal will get additional premises that will be used for servicing passengers,” Anatoly Sivak said.

Director of the Aviation Department at the Transport and Communications Ministry Artem Sikorsky added that no final decision had been made yet on when the construction of the Minsk National Airport terminal will be launched. “According to preliminary plans, we will embark on its construction after the European Games are over and will complete the project by the start of the ice hockey championship,” he said. The new terminal and the existing one will be one whole. The new terminal will be designed in line with the latest international requirements, which will ensure comfortable stay at the airport.

Artem Sikorsky noted that the work to introduce a mobile boarding pass is in full swing. This technology will be available at all the country’s airports in the coming months.