The expansion of the domestic terminal at Pulkovo Airport is slated to begin closer to 2030, according to recent statements by airport officials. While the airport’s current capacity is sufficient, the terminal is operating at its limit, prompting the need for future expansion. Currently, the airport is implementing new solutions aimed at reducing the time required for passenger and aircraft servicing.
The new expansion, part of the second phase of construction at Pulkovo, is currently in the project planning stage. The expansion will primarily focus on the domestic sector, with work expected to commence towards the end of this decade.
Leonid Sergeev, CEO of Pulkovo, previously disclosed that phase “A” of the second construction phase includes the development of a new boarding gallery in the domestic flight area. This project is expected to be submitted for approval by Russia’s State Expertise Agency in the fall of 2024. Additionally, should international passenger traffic exceed 7 million, a new boarding gallery will also be constructed in the international zone.
Currently, the airport is nearing its capacity. In 2023, Pulkovo serviced 20.4 million passengers, with a planned volume of 20.6 million for 2024. However, only 3.5 million passengers traveled on international flights, suggesting it may take some time before the international sector reaches the 7 million threshold required for further expansion.
Service Times Reduced to 30 Minutes
The management is currently focused on implementing new service technologies to simplify pre-flight procedures for passengers and reduce aircraft turnaround times. Since the fall of 2023, the airport has been working on the “Potok” project, which aims to make the passenger journey from arrival to gate 25% faster.
Under the project’s principles, the journey from parking to the departure area should take no more than 30 minutes. To achieve this, the airport first optimized traffic flow in the forecourt area and ensured quick access for taxis to the front line of the terminal. Additionally, a new center was recently opened to coordinate both ground transportation and pre-flight processing. Passenger flows in check-in, security, information desks, and entry and exit points are now managed by seven dispatchers, who can deploy additional staff to areas where needed.
In August 2024, Pulkovo introduced “seamless transfer” services for domestic and international passengers, reducing the time needed to reach check-in counters to just 1-2 minutes. One of the operational achievements at the airport is its ability to service “shuttle” flights in just 20-25 minutes. This efficiency has led to a 40% increase in flight departures from the airport in June-July 2024 compared to the same period last year.
