FOR PASSENGERS

Open-End Joint Stock Company “International Airport Simferopol” is one of the leading enterprises of the ARC’s air transport complexes and one of the Ukraine’s biggest airports.

 Established in 1936, the airport has passed a long way from an unpaved air-field to the developed infra-structure both in aviation technology and air travellers’ service.

The name of Simferopol airport can be found on all the air traffic charts and maps, as it is an integral part of the global air traffic system.

Today’s OAO International Airport Simferopol can offer a broad range of services which provide for the comfort of the air travellers’ stay at the airport. 

The international airport status implies an ever-continuing improvement of services offered.  Enhancement of air transport reliability and improving the air travellers’ service are the focal point of the work conducted. A number of auxiliary businesses have been created to assist in bringing offered services to a higher level.    

In 2008, OAO International Airport Simferopol was awarded a Letter of Commendation by the Airport GA Association and was at the top of the “Intensively Developing Airport of the CIS countries” nomination.  

Below is given our interview with V.A. Anufriyev, the Chairman of the Board of OAO International Airport Simferopol: 

Currently, flight safety is being much talked about. What is being done to keep up the Simferopol airport challenging  international status?  

To meet flight safety and traffic up-to-date requirements, a constant concern of the activities conducted by the airport is getting higher levels of flight safety and the increase of the airport handling capacity. 

The following four lines of this activity can be identified:

• increasing the airport airspace traffic capacity;
• increasing the airfield infrastructure handling capacity;
• increasing the airport terminal complex handling capacity;
• updating the airport infrastructure to meet the needs of the increasing air travellers turnover.

Air traffic control is done by the regional unit “Krymaerorukh”, covering the areas of the Crimean peninsular, some parts of Kherson and Zaporozhie regions and the Black Sea basin, including its neutral waters. Every 24 hours, Krymaerorukh handles 1,200 aircrafts, accounting for 40% of the Ukraine’s total volume of attended aircraft. Updated radio aids, radio-relay and fiber optic communication lines, the latest radar complexes and Victoria automatic air traffic control system have been put into operation. In 2007, the best in Ukraine air traffic control centre was commissioned.

A large-scale reconstruction of terminals, runways, taxiways and main tracks, their equipment, airport buildings, facilities and utilities ought to be done to increase the airfield infrastructure handling capacity.  The Simferopol airport reconstruction programme was developed by KrymNIIproject and Ukraeroproject research institutes, and the new terminal complex is estimated at about USD 50,000,000 – 60,000,000. At the moment, we are trying to find an investor.

The Company, however, is not going to stay idle and is planning to do, what it can, on its own.  So, in the 2009-2010 years, our target is to reduce the airport meteorological minimum to the second ICAO grade which will enable landings in restricted visibility, provided the airplane is adequately equipped and the crew is adequately qualified.    

The existing air terminal complex is based on the 1950s-1960s-buildings. Much has been done to make the terminals meet the current standards – a domestic airlines terminal has been built, international arrivals and departures terminals expanded, baggage carousels installed.

To meet the increasing air traffic demands, a decision has been taken to build a new international airlines terminal which will boost the airport capacity up to 1,000 person / hour and ensure the high quality service. Some preparatory work has been completed, and the construction of the new terminal is due to start in the near future.

Other flight supporting units are not lagging behind, their personnel have been trained accordingly and authorized to do the servicing of the modern aircraft. Such big airlines as Aeroflot, International Airlines of Ukraine, Aerosvit testify to their high qualification.

What is  new in the air travelers’ servicing?  

Our airport is one of the first in Ukraine to have introduced a computer-aided process control system and to start handling e-tickets. We constantly update facilities designed to service travelers and airplanes. To help handicapped people get aboard the plane, we have acquired special equipment.  

What were the results of the last year? 

In 2008, the airport handled 850,000 travellers and over 6,500 flights flown by 30 airlines of Ukraine, CIS and far abroad countries.   

An average 15% growth rate in the services offered is stably observed annually.   In 2008, the growth rate of the travellers’ turnover was 20%.

Over 11 million Ukrainian hryvnas’ worth of tax payments were paid by the airport to different budgets and special funds in 2008.

Can you tell us about the airport further development prospects?

Our plans cover:  full reconstruction of the airport land side, construction of a new three-storeyed travellers’ terminal, whose second level will be used for departures and its third level – as a waiting lounge for transit travelers, construction of a cargo terminal, remodeling of the A-terminal for VIP-travellers.    

According to the programme of reconstruction, the runway is to be renovated, new taxiways and parking lots for the air planes up to 450 t are to be constructed.

Besides, as a near-term target, the airport territory is to be divided into different zones, such as  zones of development of business and general aviation, passengers’ platform and cargo apron, of aircraft maintenance and service, a fuel supply complex, hotels, business-centres, etc.   

Our main objective is to meet world standards both in servicing travelers and in handling airlines.

We are trying to do our best to accomplish our goal and to make our guests’ stay in the Simferopol Airport most enjoyable.