In the Spotlight: Tbilisi Tcaucasus Region
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ON THE SPOT ON THE SPOT TBILISI TBILISI bilisi in Georgia is situated on the ancient Silk Road and is rapidly developing as an important hub for logistics and commerce in the In the Spotlight: Tbilisi TCaucasus region. Supporting the region’s growth are the country’s good relations Georgia has with neighbouring Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, and its membership of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. The country, which was once part of the Soviet Union, hopes to join NATO but this and the construction of the oil pipeline that runs between Baku and Ceyhan via Tbilisi have strained its long-standing relationship with Russia. Yet despite a series of changes in its top levels of government, the Caucasian state seems to have mastered the art of diplomacy and is enjoying relative stability in a region notorious for sudden, and sometimes dramatic, political upheavals. Despite being a relatively small country, Georgia boasts a climate ranging from Alpine in the Greater and Lesser Caucasus ranges, to subtropical along its Black Sea rights to manage the facility until 2027. It Tbilisi's new Having paid a visit to Georgia in January coast. The country’s attractions include the was the firm’s first venture outside its home terminal opened in 2011, Airports of the World dropped into TBS seaside resort of Batumi, cultural delights country and resulted in a new passenger 2007. (All photos again in July 2015, during the Routes Silk and a vibrant nightlife in the capital, and terminal being opened 18 months later. TAV author) Road event. This provided an opportunity Georgia is ideally positioned to attract long-distance air traffic due to it lying at a skiing in the mountains of Svaneti province. provides in-terminal and airside services to meet Mete Erkal, General Manager crossroads between Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Russia. Luigi Vallero met TAV Airports purchased a 66% stake including ground handling, customs and TAV Georgia, and obtain an update on in Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) on warehousing, retail and food and beverage the progress being made at the nation’s TAV Georgia General Manager Mete Erkal for an update on the capital’s airport. October 31, 2005 in a deal that included the outlets. busiest airport. 30 airports of the world www.airportsworld.com 31 ON THE SPOT ON THE SPOT TBILISI TBILISI AirZena How was business last year and how How does your traffic vary across and developing Tbilisi as a major transit Bombardier are things developing now? the year, and is it mostly inbound or point between Europe and Central Asia Passenger Statistics Challenger 850 ME: We handled 575,707 passengers in outbound? and the Far East. How do you see that Year Total Change 4L-GAA (c/n 8046) 2014, an increase of 124% over the past five ME: The market is relatively constant market developing? 2005 547,150 n/a and an Antonov years. In excess of 1.7 million are expected across the year, although 60% of the ME: We are expecting to generate An-12 in front of this year. In 2011 19 airlines were serving passengers use the airport in the summer increasing transit traffic due to competitive 2006 567,402 +3.7% the old terminal the airport and we expect this to increase season. Outgoing traffic is slightly ahead pricing and the high-quality services we offer. 2007 615,873 +8.5% building. to 30 by the end of the year. of incoming. Over the past four years Kazakhstan’s flag 2008 714,976 +16.1% Georgia is a relatively small country You mentioned Georgia’s location on carrier Air Astana has launched flights, and is 2009 702,916 -1.7% with a limited population. Can you the ancient Silk Road trading routes, now proposing flying a year-round schedule 2010 822,772 +17.1% Ukraine continue to grow at similar rates over to Almaty in addition to a recently launched International and S7 2011 1,058,679 +28.7% the next decade? seasonal service to Astana. China Southern Airlines are regular 2012 1,219,175 +15.2% ME: The catchment area is getting Airport Statistics Airlines, flying to Ürümqi, is paving the way visitors to TBS. 2013 1,436,046 +17.8% larger thanks to its geographic location. ICAO code: UGTB from Asia and additional opportunities are Transaero Airlines 2014 1,575,386 +9.7% has recently ceased Travellers from neighbouring countries IATA code: TBS expected to be opened up soon. (Not for airborne/operational use flying. are increasingly using Tbilisi due to the Location: 41°40.09’N 044°57.17’E What are your main markets, and what destinations do you expect to come trips, mostly transferring passengers into – Navtec Aerad) range of destinations and lower ticket Elevation: 1,624ft (495m) prices offered by the airlines serving our online over the next few years? its global network. AtlasGlobal has also Runways: 13R/31L 9,843 x 150ft (3,000 x 45m) Management, airport. In addition, all of us in TAV Georgia ME: For a number of years Istanbul Atatürk been very successful on the same route, and 13L/31R 8,202 x 150ft (2,500 x 45m) staff and equipment are working hard to develop TBS into a (IST) has been our best route, in part thanks Pegasus is serving the major market with in front of the transit point for traffic between Europe Frequencies: to the transit opportunities there. At present daily trips to Sabiha Gökçen (SAW). Moscow modern terminal. and Central Asia. Website: www.tbilisiairport.com Turkish Airlines flies as many as four daily became our fastest-growing destination 32 airports of the world www.airportsworld.com 33 ON THE SPOT ON THE SPOT TBILISI TBILISI in 2014, thanks to Aeroflot-Russian Airlines Passengers board providing a new daily service to their hub at AirZena Georgian Airlines – Scheduled passenger services Sheremetyevo (SVO). This added to the nine Airways Bombardier Aegean Airlines Athens weekly S7 Airlines services we already had CRJ200 4L-TGS (c/n Aeroflot Moscow Sheremetyevo to Domodedovo (DME), and a daily AirZena 7373). Air Arabia Sharjah Georgian Airways flight to Vnukovo (VKO). Air Astana Almaty, Astana (seasonal) We are expecting further increases in traffic airBaltic Riga in the Moscow market over the coming years. NATO Boeing The Gulf countries have also proven C-17A Globemaster Air Cairo Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh III SAC-02 (c/n popular since Qatar Airways launched a Alitalia Rome-Fiumicino F-210) visiting from daily A320 trip to Doha (which also calls at Arkia Israel Airlines Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (seasonal) Pápa Air Base in nearby Baku) in 2012. We added flydubai Hungary. AtlasGlobal Istanbul Atatürk from Dubai and Air Arabia to Sharjah last Azerbaijan Airlines Baku year. In October this year Etihad Airways Belavia Minsk National will introduce a link to its hub at Abu Dhabi. AirZena's modern China Southern Airlines Ürümqi We also expect additional destinations in fleet includes Boeing Dniproavia Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa (from Central Asia to come online over the next 737-7BK 4L-TGN July 1, 2015) year, and are hopeful that a direct link to (c/n 33015). London will be re-established. Ellinair Thessaloniki (seasonal, from June The passenger terminal is fairly new, 30, 2015) having opened in 2007. Do you foresee Antonov An-12s flydubai Dubai International the need to extend it over the next few such as Tajikistan- AirZena Georgian Airways Amsterdam, Batumi, Kutaisi, years, and if so what are you planning? registered EY-415 Moscow Vnukovo, Novosibirsk, ME: Subject to the expected increases (c/n 8346107) are Odessa (from July 1, 2015), Tel in passenger numbers, our major still used regularly Aviv Ben Gurion, Paris Charles de on cargo flights. infrastructure modification plan will be Gaulle, Saint Petersburg, Samara, implemented gradually between now and extended west; the work will include an fees, ground service, warehousing and connections from Amsterdam to Aktau, Sharm el-Sheikh. Vienna, Vladikavkaz, 2027. This will include a centralised security additional airbridge and 18 check-in desks. fuel - provided by external companies - are Aktobe, Ashgabat, Atyrau, Balkanabat, With management working on a The modern Yerevan (from July 10, 2015) area, additional check-in desks, extensions We are targeting March 2016 for a long- the most important elements in attracting Baku, Kyzylorda, Mary, Oral, Shymkent, coherent strategy to ensure the airport terminal is a match Israir Airlines Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (seasonal) to the baggage carousels, additional awaited runway rehabilitation project, the business. Over the past five years Türkmenbaşy, and Yerevan. infrastructure develops in line with traffic for many in western LOT Polish Airlines Warsaw Chopin passport control points, extra bus gates, which will mean the airport will be closed the number of cargo airlines using our Europe. What about inbound tourism? Is TAV increases, and with positive projections a remote arrivals area, self-service check- for 10 hours during daytime. We are busiest facilities has increased substantially. We Georgia working with the local tourist for the next five years, it seems likely that Lufthansa Munich in kiosks and expansion of the car parks. at night, handling approximately 70% of now have regular Cargolux flights serving authority and AirZena to promote Tbilisi will continue to prosper over the next Pegasus Airlines Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen We will also construct a separate arrivals our traffic between 2400hrs and 0500hrs, Luxembourg, Baku, Kuala Lumpur and inwards traffic? few years. Qatar Airways Baku, Doha building with new baggage belts, additional so the work will not have too much impact. Singapore; Etihad Cargo to Abu Dhabi, ME: We are always looking to co-operate S7 Airlines Moscow Domodedovo departure gates and airbridges, and we plan Air freight is important to the economy Amsterdam and Sharjah; Qatar Airways with those local partners to help support The author would like to thank to the SCAT Aktau to extend the existing terminal.