UZBEKISTAN. Air Marakanda, operator of the newly-expanded and redeveloped Samarkand International Airport – ‘Gateway to the historic Silk Road’ – today celebrated the grand opening of the airport’s new terminal
Over 250 people participated in the opening ceremony, including the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Achilbay Ramatov; Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov; Khokim [Regional Chief Administrator) of the Samarkand Region Erkinjon Turdimov; and Chairman of the Board of Uzbekistan Airports Rano Juraeva.
Deputy General Director of Operations at Air Marakanda Hilmi Yilmaz delivered an inauguration speech (see below).
The inaugural flight HY-045/046 – from Tashkent to Samarkand, including a return flight – took place today (18 March). The flight is testament to the airport’s successful modernisation and redevelopment project, Air Marakanda.
The public-private partnership responsible for the US$80 million project involves Air Marakanda and state partner Uzbekistan Airports JCS. The construction work was carried out by leading Uzbekistan EPC company Enter Engineering based on an architectural design by the Turkish design and engineering company Kiklop Construction.
The new terminal will service visitors to Uzbekistan’s most frequented tourist sites in and around the historic Silk Road city of Samarkand. The modern facility will be able to handle triple the number of passengers than previously possible. Independent research by market research firm Lufthansa Consulting forecasts an increase in annual passenger traffic from 480,000 to two million.
Upon completion, the number of regular flights will increase from 40 to 120 per week, with a total of 24 new aircraft parking spaces available. Having served only five destinations in 2019, Air Marakanda’s route development plan aims to increase destinations to 30 by 2030.
From 1 August 2020, all domestic airports in Uzbekistan introduced the Open Skies regime for at least two years with the possibility of extension. This will also apply at Samarkand International Airport.
International standard modernisations include enhanced commercial services (details to follow); easy access for passenger with limited mobility; 29 check-in desks; eight boarding gates; four airstairs; ten passport control booths; six E-gates for departing passengers; and 15 passport control booths for arriving passengers. Some 3.1 km of runway were also added.
