Chișinău International Airport

Chișinău International Airport Aeroportul Internațional Chișinău
IATA: KIV – ICAO: LUKK
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	CIA
Location	Chișinău, Moldova
Hub for	Air Moldova Tandem Aero
Elevation AMSL	399 ft / 122 m
Coordinates	46°55′40″N 028°55′51″E / 46.92778°N 28.93083°E / 46.92778; 28.93083Coordinates: 46°55′40″N 028°55′51″E / 46.92778°N 28.93083°E / 46.92778; 28.93083
Website	airport.md
Map
KIV Location in Moldova
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 08/26 3,590 11,779 Concrete
Statistics (2014)
Passengers 1,782,517 Aircraft movements 17,555
Sources: Moldavian AIP at EUROCONTROL[1] Statistics[2] Aircraft movements data for 2013

Chișinău International Airport (IATA: KIV, ICAO: LUKK) is Moldova's main international airport, located 13 km (8.1 mi) southeast of the centre of Chișinău, the capital city.^[1] It serves as headquarters for Air Moldova, the country's national airline, and Moldavian Airlines.^[3][4]

History

Early years

The first scheduled flights to Chișinău started on 24 June 1926, on the route Bucharest – Galați – Chișinău and Iași. The flights were operated by Compagnie Franco-Roumaine de Navigation Aérienne – CFRNA, later LARES.^[5] A commemorative plaque, describing the first flight to Chișinău, was placed in the airport.

The main terminal was built in the 1970s, with a capacity of 1,200,000 passengers per year.

Development since the 1990s

On 31 May 1995 Chișinău Airport was awarded the status of an international airport.

In 2002, following works by the Turkish company Akfen Holding, the airport was modernized. An annex terminal building with an area of 4,270 m² (46,000 sq ft) was added to the renovated old terminal building of 7,600 m² (82,000 sq ft). The project covered construction of 3,000 m² (32,000 sq ft) curtain walls, 3,200 m² (34,000 sq ft) composite panels, 12,185 m² (131,160 sq ft) asphalt road, a treatment plant with a capacity of 3,450 m³ (122,000 cu ft) a day, complete mechanical heating, ventilation and electrical systems, along with the X-ray security, luggage handling, master clock, and flight information systems. The annual capacity of the airport had increased to 5.4 million passengers.^[6]

Chișinău International Airport is a member of Airports Council International.

Future plans

There are plans to enlarge the airport.^[7] The project involves EUR 19 million loan to Chișinău International Airport for the rehabilitation and upgrade of the existing runway, taxiways, aprons, and ramps, engineering works, safety equipment and other connected core assets of Chișinău International Airport. The European Investment Bank ('EIB') is considering co-financing alongside EBRD for up to an equal amount.^[8]

Facilities

There are ten check-in desks and five gates at the airport.^[9] VIP and CIP guests are offered special services at the VIP terminal. A visitors' terrace in the second floor opened in December 2006.

Previously passengers had to present their passport, ticket and their registration (of foreigners – which used to be required). Passengers were allowed in the check in hall. With the introduction of e-tickets and the abolition of the registration for foreigners the airport reorganized in late 2006. This resulted in a bigger check-in hall and customs control is now after check-in.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Statistics

Chișinău airport at night

Traffic

Year	Passengers (total)	Change	Aircraft Movements (total)	Change	Cargo (tonnes)
2000	254,178	N/A	5,519	N/A	2,400
2001	274,662	8%	9,866	78.7%	1,700
2002	296,431	7.9%	10,416	5.5%	1,300
2003	341,695	15.2%	9,502	8.7%	1,300
2004	421,011	23.2%	10,759	13.2%	1,400
2005	482,741	14.6%	11,126	3.4%	1,700
2006	548,331	13.5%	10,065	9.5%	1,800
2007	688,782	25.6%	11,623	15.4%	2,300
2008	847,881	23%	12,000	3.2%	2,400
2009	809,072	4.5%	N/A	N/A	2,000
2010	937,030	15.8%	13,751	N/A	2,400
2011	1,045,975	11.6%	15,022	9.2%	2,700
2012	1,220,496	16.6%	16,119	7.3%	2,800
2013	1,321,362	8.3%	17 555	8.9%	2,177
2014	1,782,517	34.9%

2014

Month	Passengers[13]	Change (2013-2014)	Passengers Cumulatively
January	107,817	29.9%	107,817
February	82,286	29.9%	190,103
March	99,315	35.8%	289,418
April	118,672	41.8%	408,090
May	151,503	21.5%	559,593
June	174,638	32.6%	734,231
July	194,196	33.3%	928,427
August	213,304	35.2%	1,141,731

Routes

Busiest international routes at Chisinau Airport by weekly flights

Rank	City	Airport(s)	Weekly Departures (February 2015)	Airlines	Rank Change
1.	Moscow	Sheremetyevo Airport, Domodedovo Airport, Vnukovo Airport	60	Air Moldova, Aeroflot, UTair, S7 Airlines
2.	Bucharest	Bucharest	30	Air Moldova, TAROM
3.	Istanbul	Atatürk Airport	14	Air Moldova, Turkish Airlines
4.	Frankfurt	Frankfurt	8	Air Moldova
5.	Milan	Malpensa Airport, Bergamo Airport	8	Air Moldova, Wizzair
6.	Munich	Munich	7	Lufthansa

Other facilities

• The Civil Aviation Administration of Moldova has its headquarters on the airport property.^[14]

• Fly Level Flight Training Organisation is developing its main activities on the airport territory since August 2011.

Ground transportation

There are bus lines and rutieră vans frequently departing from the airport (aerogara). Rutieră line 165 passes through the Botanica district and continues to the city center. The 'AEROGARA' bus departs from Piața D. Cantemir and has intermediate stops in the city center on Stefan Cel Mare street. It also stops at the central railway station 'GARA' bus station. There is a white livery bus operating in a 30-minute interval This is different from rutieră vans, which may stop at any time, given the driver is notified a few seconds prior.

See also

• Civil Aviation Administration of Moldova
• List of airports in Moldova
• List of the busiest airports in the former USSR

References

External links

Media related to Chișinău International Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• State Administration of Civil Aviation Administration of Moldova

Airports in Moldova International Chişinău Unscheduled Bălţi International Bălţi City Cahul Camenca Mărculeşti Soroca Tighina Tiraspol