Fraport and Northern Capital Gateway start operations at Pulkovo Airport’s new terminal in St. Petersburg

Fraport and its partners in the Northern Capital Gateway (NCG) consortium – which manages and develops Pulkovo Airport – started test mode operations at the new passenger Terminal-1 on December 4 at Pulkovo Airport (LED) in St. Petersburg, Russia. Initially, the phased transfer of operations to Terminal-1 primarily involves flights of home-base carrier Rossiya Airlines. Later, more flights will be relocated to the new Terminal-1. Serving about 11.2 million passengers in 2012, Pulkovo Airport is Russia’s third largest airport. During the first 10 months of 2013, LED already welcomed 11.1 million passengers – up 15.4 percent year-on-year.

Commenting on Pulkovo’s new terminal, Fraport AG’s executive board chairman Dr. Stefan Schulte said: “Fraport is very proud to be part of the Northern Capital Gateway consortium and this world-class terminal project at Pulkovo Airport. We congratulate and thank the City of St. Petersburg and Russia. We also extend our special thanks to everyone involved in the realization of this amazing passenger facility in record time. The new terminal – a symbol of successful international cooperation and a strong Russian-German partnership – represents a significant milestone in LED’s development and future growth as the gateway to St. Petersburg and northwestern Russia.”

The new terminal can accommodate up to 17 million passengers per year and offers a total of 110,000 square meters of space – including some 13,500 square meters for retail and restaurant zones. Terminal facilities include 88 check-in counters, 110 passport control booths, 14 boarding bridges, 7 baggage claim belts, 45 elevators and 17 escalators. Meeting the requirements of a barrier-free environment, Terminal-1 is fully accessible to mobility-restricted passengers. Developed by Grimshaw Architects of the U.K., the terminal’s design reflects characteristic features of St. Petersburg’s historical buildings and landscape.

“Passengers from around the globe will benefit from the greatly enhanced travel experience at LED:  spaciousness, improved comfort and convenience, and a wide choice of shops and other amenities. Featuring spectacular architecture and state-of-the-art facilities, the new terminal exemplifies the geography, beauty and spirit of St. Petersburg – a World Heritage City and a dynamic business metropolis in northern Europe. I sincerely wish you a smooth start of airport operations and that the impressive Pulkovo Airport success story may continue long into the future,” added Fraport CEO Schulte.

The Northern Capital Gateway consortium, which comprises Russia’s VTB Bank, Copelouzos Group and Fraport – has a 30-year concession for managing and developing Pulkovo Airport. Along with the new terminal, the first construction phase includes expanding apron areas, modernizing existing infrastructure and adding a hotel and business center.