The new Samarkand airport received the first flight of Uzbekistan Airways on Friday. The project cost was nearly $83 million.
The terminal building is made in the form of an open book, symbolizing the main work of the scolar Mirzo Ulugbek - Zij-i Jadid-i-Kuragoniy (transl. New Astronomical Table of Kuragoniy). The building is 175 meters wide and 25 meters high.
Construction, based on the design of the Turkish engineering company Kiklop, was performed by Enter Engineering. The airport will be managed by the foreign company Air Marakanda.
“The commissioning of such a modern complex is an incredible opportunity for our airline. Firstly, the number of flight frequencies, the tourist flow to our country will increase. Such a hub as Samarkand International Airport will provide high-quality, convenient and fast service for passengers arriving in our country,” said Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov.
The airport was built as per international standards, taking into account the requirements for servicing disabled passengers and is capable of serving up to 800 people per hour. According to the results of an independent study conducted by the international aviation consulting company Lufthansa Consulting, the possibility of an increase in annual passenger traffic is predicted from 480,000 to 2 million people.
The airport's capacity is up to 120 flights per week. The terminal includes 29 check-in counters, 8 boarding gates, 4 telescopic ladders, 10 passport control booths and 6 turnstiles with an automated check-in control system (e-gate) for departing passengers, as well as 15 passport control booths for arrivals.
“The new airfield complex built by Uzbekistan Airports was put into operation in December,” said Rano Juraeva, Chairman of Uzbekistan Airports. “A new runway 3,105 meters long and 60 meters wide, new taxiways and an apron for 24 aircraft stands have been built, energy-saving lighting equipment and a landing system corresponding to the second ICAO category have been installed.”
By 2030, the airport plans to develop its route network by increasing the number of destinations to 30 or more. For comparison, in 2019, flights were operated from Samarkand Airport to five destinations. This year, flights will be operated three times a week to Moscow, Istanbul and Tashkent, and twice each to Almaty and St. Petersburg.
In 2023, it is planned to open destinations to Sharjah and Krasnoyarsk. The possibility of opening flights to Sochi and Novosibirsk is being considered, depending on demand.
Unlike most airports in Uzbekistan, Samarkand allows you to access to the terminal by car. Cameras record every car, with the terminal building not surrounded by fences, as is customary in other cities.
