Lithuanian Airports presents updated strategy and new terminal completion

Lithuanian Airports (LTOU) has announced that it has unveiled its updated operational strategy for the period leading up to 2028. Alongside this announcement, representatives revealed the completion of the construction of a new departure terminal at Vilnius Airport. The remaining tasks involve installing and testing equipment inside the terminal, which is set to open in February 2025.

Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis said: “The coming years will be crucial for the development of the infrastructure of Lithuanian Airports to increase passenger handling capacity and to reach a whole new level of service quality. Vilnius Airport will be the first to demonstrate this qualitative leap, with its new departure terminal soon to not only handle double the number of passengers, but also provide a completely new level of travel experience thanks to state-of-the-art technology.”

The new operational strategy is built on two primary objectives: fostering sustainable partnerships and enhancing the airport ecosystem’s contribution to the Lithuanian economy. Key areas of focus for LTOU include infrastructure development, enhancing air transport quality, refining business models, improving passenger experience, managing business risks, and ensuring operational sustainability. 

Simonas Bartkus, Head of the LIA, outlined the strategy’s goals, stating, “For our aviation, commercial and institutional partners, we aim to create an environment that enables consistent, sustainable growth. Much of the change we seek over the four-year period will be related to the planned expansion of airport infrastructure. We want these investments to have a direct impact both on improving the passenger experience and the overall ability to serve more passengers, and to provide a platform for businesses to expand their operations at our three international airports.”

To achieve the strategy’s goals, LTOU representatives noted the need to develop a modern system for staff competency and invest in organisational values and culture.

In conjunction with the strategy presentation, the official completion of the new departure terminal construction at Vilnius Airport has also been announced. The final phase, expected to be completed by the end of January 2025, will focus on deploying remaining technologies and testing the terminal’s readiness for operations.

“We completed the construction work about a few weeks ahead of schedule. Perhaps the most important goal for the coming period is to prepare all the new systems for the loads that the new terminal will face under realistic operating conditions, testing all the technologies both individually and as part of the overall system, so that we can be ready to put the new departure terminal into operation in early February next year,” said the Head of LTOU.

Following the terminal’s opening, Bartkus indicated that the next phase will involve re-planning and modifying the old terminal areas to expand commercial activities and enhance service offerings for passengers. The conversion of the old terminals is expected to continue until the end of 2026, alongside the planning and construction of a new arrivals terminal, projected to be operational by the end of 2028.