The Aeroexpress serves Moscow from the airport’s recently opened railway station and services will connect to Aeroflot’s new hub terminal – ‘Sheremetyevo 3’ – after its official opening later this year.
Last year, Sheremetyevo handled just over 15 million passengers. The Scott Wilson master plan will forecast growth to in excess of 50 million annual passengers by 2030.
Despite the current global economic slowdown, Sheremetyevo is aiming to attract passengers this year through transfer operations, following substantial investments in its terminal infrastructure and a new high-speed airport-city rail link to provide first-class connectivity. Trains are already serving Moscow from the airport’s recently opened railway station and services will connect to Aeroflot’s new hub terminal – ‘Sheremetyevo 3′ – after its official opening later this year.
Road access to the airport will also be improved. The plans involve building a Moscow – St. Petersburg toll highway in 2010, with an extension of the route to Sheremetyevo. Reconstruction of Leningrad Highway is underway to provide connectivity between Moscow’s Red Square and the airport in 30 minutes.
Currently, international flights are served from Sheremetyevo 2, with domestic flights operating from Sheremetyevo 1. Both terminals act as separate airports, but use the same runways.
Terminal reconfiguration
Sheremetyevo still concentrates on boosting the throughput capacity of its passenger terminals. In 2007, Terminal C was constructed with capacity for five million annual passengers.
By the end of 2009, Sheremetyevo’s terminals will operate under a new configuration. The new Terminal 3 will serve Aeroflot and its SkyTeam partners, while the new Terminal 2A will also include a new side wing as a terminal in its own right. It will provide capacity for 15 million passengers each year and has been strategically positioned to connect Terminals 2 and 3, with the aim of attracting more transfer passengers, said Klaushofer. “We want to establish a very fast connection time of around 40 minutes. This is also important for point-to-point traffic so that we speed up the process and put it on a top level with airports like Copenhagen and Zurich.”
Currently, international flights are served from Terminal 2, with Terminal 1 operating all domestic routes – an arrangement that wasn’t working in the best interests of the airport or passengers, as there was no physical connection between the terminals – they were essentially separate airports using the same runways, explained Rushmer. “It presented a logistical problem as Terminals 1 and 2 lie on opposite sides of the runway. Terminal 2A has ensured a more sensible configuration for the airport and direct transfers between Terminal 3, 2A and 2.”
“It’s a very coherent, modern complex and for the airlines based in the terminal, and in particular SkyTeam and Aeroflot, it will offer a far enhanced service to passengers,” he added.
Rushmer: “The new Terminal 2A will enable direct transfers between the terminals and ensure a more sensible configuration for the airport.”
Vanderlande Industries will supply Sheremetyevo 3’s baggage handling system, which will provide capacity for up to 12 million passengers.
Work will also begin this year to modernise the Sheremetyevo 1 passenger complex, with the aim to increase its capacity and improve passenger services for the domestic flights it currently serves.
Aeroflot re-establishes network
Aeroflot’s new hub at Terminal 3 is crucial to strengthen its dominant position in the home market, said Rushmer. “Aeroflot has significant plans to re-establish and expand its network internationally and through domestic carrier consolidation.”
The new terminal concept will also enable Sheremetyevo to re-establish itself as a gateway to Russia, added Klaushofer. “The east and west will be well linked. We are in a good position for connections to the Caspian Sea region, the far east of Russia, to Korea and Japan and we want to take advantage of this position. We are talking to new carriers as we want to offer a one-stop shop for carriers.”
Runway projects
Attracting new carriers has been made easier, with capacity to accommodate the Airbus A380 following a refurbishment of the airport’s runways last year. A third runway is also being proposed to accommodate for the planned increase in aircraft movements.
Sheremetyevo also aims to increase its cargo throughput with the construction of a new multimodal cargo terminal, to the east of Terminal 1. “The ancillary services here are very important – Sheremetyevo is not just a passenger airport,” said Rushmer.
The complex covering 10,000sqm will meet all international standards as far as cargo handling is concerned, with in excess of one million tonnes of annual cargo expected by 2030.
Scott Wilson is also in the final stages of a new master plan to 2030.
The new terminal concept will enable Sheremetyevo to re-establish itself as a gateway to Russia.
Competing on quality
With improved passenger services, Sheremetyevo is looking to head off growing competition with Domodedovo. “The airport has lost out over the last five years since Domodedovo was privatised and has attracted traffic at a faster rate. By providing better surface access, efficient airfield and high quality terminal facilities, it shows they are serious about competing for traffic,” said Rushmer.
“In the next few years we can see with some confidence that Sheremetyevo is there to rival Domodedovo,” he added.
