Chişinău International Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Chişinău International Airport
nativename = Aeroportul Internaţional Chişinău

---

image-width = 220
caption =
IATA = KIV
ICAO = LUKK
type = Public
owner =
operator = CIA
city-served =
location = Chişinău
elevation-f = 399
elevation-m = 122
coordinates = coord|46|55|39|N|28|55|51|E|type:airport
website = [http://www.airport.md/ www.airport.md]
metric-elev = yes
metric-rwy = yes
r1-number = 08/26
r1-length-f = 11,779
r1-length-m = 3,590
r1-surface = Concrete
footnotes =

Chişinău International Airport Airport codes|KIV|LUKK is a main international airport in Moldova, located near the capital city of Chişinău. The terminal built in the 1970s has a capacity of 1,200,000 passengers per year.

As there is no Cat II or III system, fog can temporarily disrupt flights, especially in the colder period between December and February.

Airlines

Five national companies are involved in passenger air transportation, namely: Air Moldova, Moldavian Airlines, Tandem Aero and Vichi.

Among the national air companies, the biggest share of passenger transport market is held by the state airline Air Moldova, followed by Moldavian Airlines and Tandem Aero. The national airlines have a share of less than two thirds of the market.In the first half of 2008 number of passengers transported:
* Air Moldova 175,700
* Turkish Airlines 50,100
* Merdiana 42,600
* Moldavian Airlines 20,800
* Carpatair 18,500
* Austrian Airlines 13,300
* Tandem Aero 8,700
* Tarom 7,600

Airlines and destinations

*Aerosvit Airlines (Kiev-Boryspil)
*airBaltic (Riga)
*Air Moldova (Antalya, Athens, Bucharest-Otopeni, Frankfurt, Istanbul-Atatürk, Larnaca, Lisbon, London-Stansted, Kiev-Boryspil, Madrid, Milan-Malpensa, Moscow-Domodedovo, Paris-CDG, Prague, Rome-Fiumicino, Sankt-Petersburg-Pulkovo, Vienna)
*Austrian Airlines (Vienna)
*Carpatair (Timişoara)
*Cyprus Airways (Larnaca) [begins 06 October]
*Meridiana (Milan-Malpensa, Verona)
*Moldavian Airlines (Budapest, Timişoara)
*S7 Airlines (Moscow-Domodedovo)
*Tandem Aero (Tel Aviv, Kiev-Boryspil)
*Tarom (Bucharest-Otopeni)
*Turkish Airlines (Istanbul-Atatürk)

Airport statistics

Busy routes

*Chişinău - Istanbul (Atatürk), with 130,000 passengers transported in 2007
*Chişinău - Moscow (Domodedovo), with 92,000 passengers carried in 2007
*Chişinău - Verona, with 50,000 passengers transported in 2007
*Chişinău - Timişoara, with 50,000 passengers transported in 2007

For the first half of 2008 the figures are -
*77,100 Moscow
*66,200 Istanbul
*28,300 Verona
*25,000 Frankfurt
*21,800 Rome
*20,800 Budapest
*18,500 Timişoara

Cargo and Mail

Figures are in thousand tons.

Facilities

The airport is open 24 hours a day.

Following moderization work by the Turkish company Akfen Holding A.S., the airport reopened in May 2000.

An annex terminal building with an area of 4,270 m² was added to the renovated present terminal building of 7,600 m². The project covers construction of 3,000 m² curtain walls, 3,200 m² composite panels, 12,185 m² asphalt road, a treatment plant with a capacity of 3,450 m³/day, complete mechanical heating, ventilation and electrical systems along with the X-ray security, luggage handling, master clock, and flight information systems. The contract had a commercial value of USD 9.3 million.

The annual capacity of the airport has increased to 5.4 million passengers. There are ten check-in desks, four gates, and a baggage claim conveyor belt.

Available facilities include short-term parking, an airport hotel, bureau de change, ATM, cafeterias, bars, duty-free shops, newsagent, tobacconist, gift shop, a travel agent, a tourist help desk, car rental, taxi service, first aid, baby/parent room, CD/DVD shop, flower shop, and a mobile phone shop.

VIP and CIP guests are offered special services at the VIP terminal.

The visitors terrace in the second floor has been opened in December 2006 but closed due to security measures. There is also a sign remembering the first flight to Moldova on 24.06.1926 on the routes Bucuresti-Galati-Iasi and Chisinau.

Late 2006 the airport reorganized the passenger flow before check-in.So far passengers had to present their passport, the ticket and eventually their registration (which was abolished long before!). Passengers were allowed in the check in hall. With the introduction of e-tickets and the abolition of the registration for foreigners this was no longer useful.After the removal of the wall the check-in hall became remarkably bigger and customs control is now after check-in.

March 1, 2007 Moldova introduced the same new regulations for hand luggage which were enforced in the European Union on November 6, 2006.

To and from the airport

There is a bus and a mini-bus (rutiera) to the airport (aerogara). For example the rutiera line 165 is passing Botanica district and continuing to the city center. The 'AEROGARA' bus departs from Piata D. Cantemir and can be catched in the city center on the Stefan Cel Mare street and also stops at the central railway station 'GARA' bus station. It is a white livery bus operating with a 30 minute interval. The fares are paid to the bus conductor.

Taxis drive in 15-25 minutes to the airport. They charge between 70 and 80 lei ie. 10-12 euros. It is advisable to agree beforehand.

Arriving passengers can find authorized taxi (Taxi 1407, yellow cars) at the departure exit.

The airport is located at the mainway to the south.

See also

*Civil Aviation Administration of Moldova
*List of airports in Moldova
*Moldovan ICAO Airport Codes

References

* Official|http://www.airport.md/
* [http://en.caa.md/ State Administration of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Moldova]
*
* [http://www.airport.md/flight_shedule_2/ Flight Schedules] - Flight numbers & Destination details