Russia, Vladivostok International Airport
In February 2017, Changi Airports International (CAI), together with its partners, acquired Vladivostok International Airport (VVO) in Russia’s Far East.
This is CAI’s second investment in Russia, after the successful acquisition of a group of airports in the south of Russia in 2012.
Vladivostok is the main city and administrative centre of the Primorsky Krai, and the maritime province of Russia. With a population of 600,000, the port city is an important transport, industrial, trade, and financial center for the country.
Its strategic location, at the cross-roads of Asia-Pacific and Russia’s Far East, in close proximity to Japan, China and Korea, makes it the ideal economic gateway between the two regions.
Vladivostok International Airport was conferred Open Skies status in 2011. This enabled the airport to reposition itself as a major international hub and fast track air link development.
The airport infrastructure and facilities were refurbished to enhance the travel experience, and to receive international delegates and VIPs. The airport continues to welcome guests attending large-scale global events, including the annual Eastern Economic Forum from 2016 till now.
CAI and its partners are focused on transforming Vladivostok International Airport into a leading aviation hub for domestic and international traffic by strengthening air connectivity and improving the passenger experience.
The goal is to open up the maritime province to develop the vast potential in international trade and tourism, and showcase the vibrancy of Vladivostok and Russia’s Far East to the rest of the world.
With CAI’s involvement, the airport is seeing operational, commercial and service improvements. Passenger traffic grew rapidly to reach 3 million passengers in 2019.
The airport currently has the capacity to handle 3.5 million passengers per annum, and to receive all aircraft types. The consortium plans for the airport to achieve its potential of 5 million passengers per annum in the long term.
The airport’s network extends to over 40 destinations. Plans are underway to add flights to more Russian cities and international destinations in Japan, China, Vietnam and South Korea.