Chisinau airport will be closed at night until runways are reconstructed

The Chisinau International Airport will be closed for the night so as to allow reconstructing the runways. The period during which the airport will be closed is yet to be decided, but the impact of such a move on the airlines and passengers will be minimum, the airport's director general Roman Podkorytov told a news conference on July 7. Specialists of the German company HOCHTIEF AirPort GmbH recommended closing the airport between 8pm and 6am. “The passengers on transit routes will be most affected, especially those who go to the U.S. through Frankfurt,” Roman Podkorytov said. The Chisinau International Airport is planned to be modernized in 2011 – 2015. The runways will be reconstructed, while the terminal extended. A multistory car park will be built nearby. After all the necessary documents are submitted, the Parliament will take a decision as regards the concession of the plot where the car park with 800 places will be built. Four investors from Portugal, Italy and Romania inquired about the construction of the car park so far, the airport's director said. The second project to modernize the Chisinau International Airport has a budget of €46.25 million (€1.7 million – a grant provided from the European Neighborhood Fund, €18 million – a loan from the European Investment Bank, while the rest of the money will be invested by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development). The last time, the Chisinau International Airport was renovated in 1988.