Vilnius Airport (VNO), serving the capital of Lithuania, began reconstruction of its old terminal in January of this year. The project, which aims to introduce a new departure terminal for passengers, is scheduled to finish by 2025. According to the government-owned Lithuanian Airports, which is also responsible for Kaunas Airport (KUN) and Palanga Airport (PLQ), the new 14,400 square meter terminal will triple the total terminal area at VNO and double the terminal’s throughput to 2,400 passengers per hour.
“The main Lithuanian airport must be convenient for passengers, meet international standards, and perform its functions properly. The new terminal at Vilnius Airport will make a significant contribution to the development of the aviation sector, opening up new capacity opportunities,” stated Marius Skuodis, the Minister of Transport and Communications. Along with the new terminal, private and public transportation access will also be made easier for passengers travelling to and from the capital’s airport.
“This is undoubtedly the most important project for all Lithuanian airports in the next few years, to which we are dedicating a lot of our internal resources,” added Aurimas Stikliūnas, the interim Chief Executive Officer of Lithuanian Airports.
The new departure terminal will include self-service check-in areas, common public spaces, cafes, and commercial spaces, as well as security screening areas, and departure and arrival gates for passengers from Schengen countries. The building will have an A++ energy class, showcasing that the entity chose a sustainable approach to the construction process.
The total project cost is estimated to be €41.5 million ($44.9 million), without Value-Added Tax (VAT).
“Once the new terminal is built, all flight check-in procedures – from passenger and baggage check-in to aviation screening – will be transferred from the old terminal to the new one,” says Gintarė Norvilaitė-Tautevičė, head of commerce at Lithuanian Airports.
The major changes are expected to be in place by the end of 2025.
The airport will focus on providing spaces for families with children. There will also be rooms and lounges for work, complete with comfortable chairs and power sockets.
“We plan to have two larg e Duty-Free stores instead of 6 smaller ones,” says Norvilaitė-Tautevičė. Another 12 different types of smaller retail and service outlets will also be at the airport. The number of cafes and restaurants will grow from nine to 13. The airport managers plan to have more diverse cuisine, including Asian and fast food, as well as healthy meal options. According to Norvilaitė-Tautevičė, the layout of the restaurants and shops is based on the best practices of the US and European airports.
Last year, Vilnius Airport handled an average of almost 11,000 passengers per day – or 3.9 million per year. The number of passengers is expected to grow by an average of around 8 percent annually in the coming years.
The airport authority has announced that during the NATO summit in Lithuania on July 11-12, considering the NATO safety requirements, all flights will be forbidden within 30 km air space from Litexpo Exhibition Hall. The flights in Vilnius will be limited from July 11, at 12:00 p.m. to July 12, at 2:00 p.m. According to the data of Lithuanian Airports, more than 100 flights from Vilnius will be cancelled during this 26-hour limitation. Airlines will inform passengers about planned cancellation of flights in advance. (LRT.lt)
