Lithuanian Airports has announced plans to construct a new departures terminal at Vilnius Airport. It is scheduled to be operational in early 2025.
According to Lithuanian Airports, the main purpose of the new departures terminal project is to increase passenger capacity, introduce innovations that will make the passenger journey smoother, and ensure greater efficiency in airport operations. The 14,400m2 space will increase the total area of Vilnius Airport's passenger terminals by a third and double passenger throughput to 2,400 passengers per hour, the operator said.
“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. As passenger traffic at the airport grows, it is important to ensure comfortable service conditions that meet modern standards,” said Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis.
Alongside the construction of the new terminal, the transport access in front of Vilnius Airport will be transformed, with renewing of engineering infrastructure, resurfacing, installation of carports and the development of a new transport scheme.
“We stand at the centre of an important change for aviation in Lithuania. The opportunities to handle more aircraft, and more passengers, are directly linked to our future prospects to become leaders in the region, which means moving to the next level of quality and competing for a wider geography of flights across the country. This entire project is a series of developments – not just a construction project, but also a platform for innovation in airports, where we will finally be able to apply state-of-the-art technology to improve airport efficiency and passenger comfort. 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,” said Aurimas Stikliūnas, interim CEO of Lithuanian Airports.
According to the CEO, the new terminal will lay the groundwork for correcting the mistakes of Vilnius Airport's previous terminal expansions, which were undertaken to the side of the airfield, not parallel to the entire airport area. The construction of this passenger terminal will be accompanied by the renovation and conversion of the old terminals, with expansion and modernisation planned in phases.
The building will have two floors, with a self-service check-in area on the ground floor, allowing passengers to check in their luggage at dedicated terminals. There will also be common public spaces, cafes and other commercial areas and airline offices, while the second floor will house the security screening areas as well as the departure and arrival gates for passengers from Schengen countries. The new building will have an A++ energy class and will be internationally “BREEAM Good” certified.
The new terminal will be built between the VIP terminal with conference centre and the old passenger terminal. The total value of the contract is €41.5m (excluding VAT).The main contractor is Vilnius-based firm Eikos Statyba.
Image: Lithuanian Airports
