Sheremetyevo’s throughput in 2007 was 14 million passengers – four million fewer than Domodedovo. The Scott Wilson master plan will forecast significant growth to in excess of 50 million passengers by 2030. It will, explained Rushmer, provide Sheremetyevo with the opportunity to compete with Domodedovo and signals the ambition of the airport’s management.
“The new management are very serious about reasserting Sheremetyevo as the principal airport in Russia. They are ambitious about expansion and their place in the market, and are serious about following up on the master plan we will deliver in September,” said Rushmer. “We are considering a number of scenarios for physical development of the airport, which will be assessed against financial and operational parameters.”
The planned rebuild of the Sheremetyevo Terminal 2 complex. Terminal 2A is scheduled to open in 2010 and will connect Terminals 2 and 3.
Dynamic development
A number of developments are taking place at the airport; chief among these is Terminal 3, which is being built by Aeroflot at a cost of $450 million (€300m). Aeroflot is looking to further develop its hubbing operation at Sheremetyevo and is an integral part of the stakeholder process being undertaken as part of the master planning process. Terminal 3 will be used by Aeroflot and some of its partners in the SkyTeam alliance. It will have a capacity of 12 million passengers per year and, once open, will create additional space in the existing terminal for the other carriers.
Another facility, Terminal 2A, is scheduled to open in 2010 and will connect Terminals 2 and 3. Scott Wilson is also working on the development of plans for a third runway, which will also have a terminal complex attached to it. Exactly when that development takes place is something that will be determined during the master planning process.
Both the airport and Aeroflot are working to address the infrastructural issues at Sheremetyevo and to ensure that the dynamic development of air transport in Russia can be accommodated.
“Russia is a hugely growing market – all of the airlines we have spoken to for traffic forecasts are extremely confident about traffic growth. The Moscow market in particular, and the Russian market in general, are very buoyant,” said Rushmer.
Another element of development is surface access to Sheremetyevo. The Moscow City Government, Regional Government and Federal Government are undertaking several projects in this area – roads are being improved and a new rail link to the city centre will open later this year.
All of these infrastructure developments are taking place with an emphasis on environmental responsibility and sustainability, and such concerns will inform the master plan. “From an environmental point of view, it is quite refreshing that the airport is taking the trouble to want to expand in the right way environmentally. It is considering the environmental impact of its expansion,” said Rushmer.
