Government approves building of new airport near Bucharest, Romania

In its August 20 2008 meeting, the Government approved the building of a new airport in the Bucharest area, following the increase in the number of passengers, said spokesperson for the Government Camelia Spataru at the end of the meeting. The programme referring to the work that goes with the new airport will be established on the basis of a feasibility study drawn up through the care of the Ministry of Transports and financed through the budget of the same ministry, out of the funds allocated from the state budget. As for the location of the airport, the elimitation of the plots of 8 land necessary for this investment as well as its architectural and town planning aspects will be established on the basis of the documentation on territory arrangement and town planning drawn up, endorsed and approved in keeping with the law. At present the city of Bucharest has two international airports: Henri Coanda at Otopeni and Aurel Vlaicu at Baneasa. In 2007 the number of passengers increased by over 40% on the two airports, which are situated in the northern part of the Capital City. Over 4.03 million passengers came to and went out of the Henri Coanda Airport, up by 41%, and almost one million passengers used the Aurel Vlaicu Airport, up by 43%as against 2006. The traffic analyses and predictions made by Eurocontrol, the European traffic control authority, reveal the fact that, over 2008-2014, Romania is to witness an annual average increase in the traffic on airports amounting to 6.9% with a growth rate that will be higher in the area of the city of Bucharest.

Source: Agerpres.