On September 12, during a working trip to the Odessa region, President Volodymyr Zelensky verified the implementation of the project for the construction of the airfield complex of the Odessa International Airport.
According to the press service of the Head of State, the total cost of the construction project of the new Odessa airfield is UAH 3.9 billion. Thanks to this investment, the airport will be able to receive large aircrafts. Big construction projects are 67% ready.
Thus, the Minister of Infrastructure Vladislav Krikliy noted that the new runway of the Odessa airport is 2800 meters long and 45 meters wide. The new airfield will allow receiving category D aircraft designed for medium and long-range flights, such as the Boeing-747-400 / 800, category III ICAO, as well as other aircraft with a capacity of up to 300 passengers.
The Minister added that thanks to the new runway, the Odessa airport will be able to receive more than 2 million passengers a year, and after the construction of a new taxiway, more than 5 million passengers.
Zelensky asked if there is a necessary request among passengers for the construction of a new airport strip.
There is a request, of course, because Odessa is a tourist city, it is developing. This year, the Travel Ukraine programme was launched and Odessa received too many passengers, even despite the coronavirus calls that we have today.
Vladislav Krikliy, Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure
He added that after the completion of the reconstruction, the old strip will not work.
Zelensky inquired about the certification of the new runway. The Infrastructure Minister noted that it is planned to obtain permits for the operation of the strip in October, and the strip should be put into operation by the end of 2020. Krikliy also said that in the future, the length of the runway can be increased to 3200 meters. "Then, we will be able to receive aircrafts of any type", he stressed.
Zelensky clarified whether the work on the completion of the third stage of the strip reconstruction was sufficiently funded, since there was an agreement that there would be a construction map with the dates of all airports in Ukraine.
According to Krikliy, the project for the construction of a new taxiway is already ready and it is planned to spend more than UAH 900 million on it, which should be included in the budget. The general contractor for the construction noted that in eight months after receiving the funds, the third stage of construction will be implemented. "You should check, so as not to forget such things. This is important", the Ukrainian President stressed, addressing the Minister of Infrastructure.
In addition, Zelensky asked if lighting equipment was installed in the new lane. "It is important that meteorological equipment here will allow the aircraft to land even in fog", Minister Krikliy claimed.
