Airport, Lithuania, Transport

Vilnius airport.

The feasibility study of the development of the Lithuanian airports was prepared by Ekonomines Konsultacijos ir Tyrimai (Economic Consultations and Research) together with the international company Ramboll in line with the order of the Transport Ministry.

This study will permit to better reason the decisions on the optimal air transport infrastructure development, in order to create the best conditions for the activities of air transport companies, to ensure free and comfortable access to the main industry and culture centers in the country, to encourage tourism and the development of leisure and entertainment sectors.

The first two presented scenarios suggest developing one of the currently operating airports, either Vilnius Airport or Kaunas Airport, as the main airport in the country, simultaneously restricting or fully suspending the activities of the second one. In both cases Palanga airport would be developed as a regional airport.

Another scenario is to develop Vilnius and Kaunas airports as one complex of airports, by distributing the passenger and cargo flows between both airports. Palanga airports would also remain a regional one.

Consultants predict that Vilnius Airport will reach the limits of its possibilities by 2025 (4.5 – 5 million passengers per year) and the pollution and noise caused by planes will become unacceptable for major part of the residents of the capital. Taking into consideration these assumptions, the fourth scenario is outlines. It proposes to erect a new international airport will comfortable infrastructure complying with all requirements.

The new airport should be situation about 50 kilometers from Vilnius towards the center of Lithuania. Until its erection, Vilnius Airport would be used as the main Lithuanian international airport. When the new airport starts operating, Kaunas Airport would be closed and Vilnius Airport would be left as a regional airport to satisfy business needs and as a reserve one. Palanga Airport would operate as a regional airport.

The last, fifth scenario, considers the possibility to develop and manage Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga airports as separate systems. In this case the present situation would not be essentially changed and the airports would compete among themselves.