MINSK, 12 January (BelTA) – In 2016 the Minsk National Airport welcomed over 3.4 million passengers, BelTA learned from Vasily Kornev, Deputy Director General in charge of Manufacturing of the enterprise Minsk National Airport.
According to the source, 2016 was an important year for the Minsk National Airport. For the first time the passenger number went beyond 3 million. “We welcomed passenger number three million on 10 November,” said Vasily Kornev. In 2016 the airport serviced a total of 3,429,112 passengers. The share of transit passenger was up to 30%. Thanks to higher transit traffic the airport became kind of a transport hub.
The Minsk National Airport welcomes aircraft of 18 air carriers. “We are not going to rest on laurels. The company takes part in international forums all the time. There are plans to invite at least two more air carriers to work in the airport this year,” noted the Deputy Director General. “New air carriers bring additional direct flights that make travels more convenient for passengers.”
More passengers will come to the Minsk airport thanks to the introduction of the five-day rule for visa-free travel to Belarus for citizens of 80 countries. All the departments of the airport and partners, including the border service and the customs service, are ready for it. Passenger traffic is expected to increase by at least 20% thanks to the opportunities the new visa regulations offer.
A project of national importance — the construction of the second runway — is being implemented in the Minsk National Airport now. A Belarusian company has been chosen as the general contractor. The work proceeds on schedule and the new runway is supposed to be available for flights by the end of 2018. The airport takes good care of the first runway. The airport's services constantly monitor the situation and independent experts are invited from time to time. If necessary, routine repairs are performed when no flights take place.
Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov was made familiar with progress in building a new aircraft repair factory and the second runway in the Minsk National Airport on 12 January.
