Contractors sought for expansion of Lithuania’s Kaunas Airport

A cargo plane arrives at Lithuania’s Kaunas Airport. Photo: Scanpix Baltics via Reuters Connect

The airport has recently seen a surge in passenger numbers, with over 1.3 million passengers per year now forecast, which will significantly exceed its design capacity.

In April, the airport handled nearly 115,000 passengers, representing a one-fifth increase compared with the record-breaking year of 2019.

Additionally, the number of flights grew by 7.5%, with 886 flights operated during this period. Charter companies, which previously concentrated their operations in Vilnius, have also started flying to and from Kaunas Airport.

With the expansion of passenger capacity, the total area of the passenger terminal will increase by approximately 4,300m².

The departure and arrival areas will be able to accommodate more than 800 passengers and up to six aircraft simultaneously, compared with the current capacity of handling four passenger flights at a time.

Simultaneous projects

The project involves the dismantling of the eastern and western facades of the airport and the addition of two extensions.

Extensions will be made to the baggage reclaim areas, Schengen and non-Schengen arrival areas, and passenger areas, accompanied by technological modernisation.

The expansion of the northern apron will be carried out alongside the passenger terminal expansion project. Once completed, the new apron will cover an area of over 35,000m², providing additional aircraft parking and engine testing facilities.

Airport officials said the expansion projects aim to increase passenger capacity, but also to enhance aircraft maintenance services. Kaunas is a major aircraft repair and maintenance base in the Baltic region, and the developments are intended to aid the growth of freight traffic.

Aurimas Stikliūnas, the Interim CEO of Lithuanian Airports, said expansion works should start before the end of this year, with a target completion date of 2025.

He said, “We have no doubt that the infrastructure development projects will bring long-term financial returns to the State, as the expanded northern apron means additional revenues and new opportunities for Kaunas Airport.”

Marius Skuodis, Lithuania’s minister of transport and communications, said the development of Kaunas Airport’s infrastructure was now a factor in the country’s economic growth and national defence plans.