ASTANA— The President of Almaty International Airport, Goker Kose, hosted a press tour of the new terminal for journalists and discussed upcoming plans to advance the building and passenger service quality on June 25.
Almaty International Airport. Photo credit: Alexander Pavsky/ Kazinform
According to Kazinform, the new international terminal spans 53,500 square meters and is valued at over $220 million. Kose mentioned plans to attract additional investments to develop the airport’s infrastructure further.
The new terminal has been serving all international flights since the middle of June.
“The initial deadline for the completion of the new international terminal was planned for the end of summer, but due to the rapidly increasing passenger traffic and to provide maximum convenience to passengers during the summer holiday season, all work was accelerated, the terminal began accepting the first flights from June 1,” said Kose.
Safety and capacity features
The terminal was built to meet seismic and fire safety standards and can withstand earthquakes up to ten points in magnitude. It features 50 check-in counters, modern equipment, two fast-track stands, five self-registration kiosks and five luggage drop-off stands.
Photo credit: Alexander Pavsky/ Kazinform
The Alstef baggage handling system includes four carousels, each handling 2,250 bags per hour for departure and 3,900 for arrival. For comparison, the initial terminal had 700 bags per hour for departure and 700 per hour for arrival.
The terminal can process 24,000 departing passengers and 33,000 arriving passengers per hour. It also has seven telescopic ramps to accommodate up to seven aircraft simultaneously.
To streamline passport control, the terminal includes 20 cabins in the departure area, 32 cabins in the arrival area, and four automated pass system units for Kazakh citizens. Information kiosks will be installed for better passenger navigation.
Kose noted that with the reconstruction of the existing terminal, the airport’s capacity will increase to 14 million passengers per year.
“Domestic terminal is expected to handle six million people annually, which is 8,500 per day. Combined with the new terminal, the total airport traffic will be 13 million people annually, potentially increasing to 14 million through digital tool enhancements,” said Kose.
Passenger amenities improvements
The new terminal features three VIP lounges, including a spacious VIP lounge for arrivals and departures, a Prime Class business lounge and the Air Astana lounge area. Duty-free shops have opened in the baggage waiting and departure areas, marking the largest duty-free zone in Kazakhstan and one of the largest in Central Asia.
Photo credit: Alexander Pavsky/ Kazinform
For passengers’ comfort, the terminal provides mother and child rooms on each floor, facilities for people with disabilities, a play area for children, restrooms, co-working areas and a pet area. An upcoming museum of Kazakh Civil Aviation and the history of Almaty Airport will also be housed at the new terminal.
Additionally, efforts are also underway to expand the parking area. A new parking area with 226 spaces has opened on the territory of VIP Yuzhny, and the general parking area has been expanded by 46%. Transportation routes have been optimized, and the flyover for departing passengers has been expanded. All work is expected to be completed by August 15.
