The operator of the recently expanded and modernised $80 m Samarkand International Airport in Uzbekistan, has officially unveiled the grand opening of the airport’s new terminal.

The public-private partnership (PPP) responsible for the project involves Air Marakanda and state partner Uzbekistan Airports JCS. The construction work was carried out by Uzbekistan EPC company Enter Engineering and was based on architectural design by the Turkish design and engineering company, Kiklop Construction.

Air Marakanda’s Deputy General Director of Operations, Hilmi Yilmaz, said: “I am certain Samarkand International Airport, as one of the region’s most important infrastructure facilities, will stimulate economic growth and business development in the adjacent areas, creating jobs for the local population and benefit society as a whole. An airport is the first thing you see when you arrive in a country and the last thing you see when you leave. Samarkand International Airport will become a ‘visiting card’ of Uzbekistan.”

As a gateway to the historic Silk Road city Samarkand – the airport will now be able to handle triple the number of visitors that it could previously. Independent research conducted by Lufthansa Consulting, has forecast an annual increase in passenger traffic from 480,000 to two million. In addition the number of regular flights will increase from 40 to 120 per week, with a total of 24 new aircraft parking spaces available.

Intentional standard modernisations at the airports include easy access for passengers with limited mobility, 29 check-in desks, eight boarding gates, ten passport control booths, six E-gates for departing passengers and 15 passport control booths for arriving passengers. A total of 3.1km of runway were also added.

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