TAV Airports begin constructing Skopje Airport Aleksandar Makedonski

[Prolet]

This is great, the air port is going to be 10 times larger then the current air port, with new terminals and the air port is due to be completed by the end of next year. I thought it would be by 2013 so this is alot sooner then i expected.

The thing they need to do now is bring in the cheap air lines like Ezy Jet, Whizz Air,Ryan Air etc for cheaper flights so our people will be able to travel around Europe and Asia alot easier even Northern Africa which is not too far away.

The Ohrid Airport Sveti Apostol Pavle will begin construction in September and they will begin feasibility studies for the Cargo Airport in Stip that is due to be constructed in 10 years.

http://sitel.com.mk/video/biznis/tav-go-gradi-aleksandar-veliki-so-polna-parea

[Daniel the Great]

Good news Prolet, i think it is very important for the major international airport in Macedonia to be up to European standards.
At the moment it is too small but then again how much people use the airport? you said 10 times larger then the current airport, it is going to be empty lol.
None the less it is still good news.

[Prolet]

It says so in the footage, i dont think it will be empty if they get in the cheaper flights. This will be good for people to travel around Europe and the other regions that are not so far away.

[Phoenix]

Good news Prolet, i think it is very important for the major international airport in Macedonia to be up to European standards.
At the moment it is too small but then again how much people use the airport? you said 10 times larger then the current airport, it is going to be empty lol.
None the less it is still good news.

How's it going Daniel ?

I think this is the classic case of..."build it and they will come"

A modern airport in Skopje capable of moving a large number of passengers could result in Alexander the Great Airport being a mini hub in the region, its bigger capacity will mean more air traffic into Skopje, possibly catering for transit passengers with final destinations into Kosovo, Albania, the southern regions of Serbia and Aegean Macedonia, this inturn increases tourist numbers to Macedonia...

I don't think it will be too 'big' for too long...my concern is whether it will meet the demands of even more travellers to Macedonia and the wider region in 10 years time...?

[fyrOM]

Is this going to be a take two of the Singapore airlines trying to make Skopje airport a regional hub. Maybe this time with someone else managing the project it might work.

[Prolet]

I see alot of potential here, lets keep in mind that our geographical point we are in europe yet we are so close to asia and africa this is why Aleksandar the Great managed to control so much of the world in his empire.

I think Macedonia can be the gateway for european passengers traveling across to Asia and Africa while those who wish to travel into Europe, Macedonia is right there on the doorstep.

Lets be honest here, everybody thought this was going to be some sort of a joke as we were always labeled as the laughing stock of Europe. I dont see a reason why TAV can't make our airports become world class, i remember the director of TAV saying that the Skopje Airport will be better then the airport in Vienna. Lets hope he keeps his word on that.

[fyrOM]

Prolet I wasn’t saying Skopje isn’t a good location just that last time somehow the money evaporated into peoples pockets and the project failed. This time it might work because TAV will be managing their own money.

[Prolet]

OziMak, That was the transitional period there is even a joke about it, gone are the days where people win on empty promises and lies anymore. TAV must complete this project by a certain time frame otherwise they loose the contract its all been signed, lets not forget that it will be in their best interest to bring in as many air line carriers as possible because that is how they will make their money, its good for the country too because the Government will rake in on taxes so its win win for everybody.

[Prolet]

Here is more information about the airport, it confirms that it will be 10 times larger then the current airport in Skopje.

http://sitel.com.mk/video/biznis/noviot-skopski-aerodorm-ke-bide-10-pati-pogolem-od-stariot

[Big Bad Sven]

I think this is great news to tell you the truth. Perhaps macedonians wont use it too much but i agree with every one else, skopje could be the hub for people from europe to get to asia and africa, and vice versa.

A lot of people from other parts of europe want to travel to macedonia but couldnt in the past because of the pathetic state of the macedonian airlines, so this upgrade will generate more tourists for macedonia no doubt.

Great to see Turkish and macedonian company's and governments working together to achieve this, but its bit of a shame we couldnt do this on our own....

[Onur]

Probably the new Skopje airport will be on par with other airports in EU if not better because i remember that after TAV finished construction of new new airport in Ankara/Turkey at 2005 or 2006, it was selected as best airport of Europe in the following year by the EU officials.



Here are few pictures of the Ankara airport constructed by TAV at 2005;


This is the entrance to the international flights terminal, maingate.











And i heard in the news of Turkish media that only the construction fee will be about 200 million Euro for the Skopje airport, so i suppose it will be great place.

[Prolet]

Onur, What about the Istanbul Airport?

The CEO of TAV said that the Skopje Airport will be better then the airport at Vienna, i've seen pictures of the Georgian Airport and if they can make it half as good as that i'll be very happy. The Ankara Airport looks very good, its stunning actually.

[Phoenix]

Onur, What about the Istanbul Airport?

The CEO of TAV said that the Skopje Airport will be better then the airport at Vienna, i've seen pictures of the Georgian Airport and if they can make it half as good as that i'll be very happy. The Ankara Airport looks very good, its stunning actually.

It's quite an interesting developement, according to the TAV website the new airport will have the potential to accommodate 6 million passengers a year, on those figures, Alexander the Great Airport will be on par with the capacities of Belgrade and Zagreb airports...

http://www.tavconstruction.com/tav/Projects/Aviation---Airports/Ongoing-Projects/Skopje-Alexander-The-Great-International.aspx

On a side note, the winning design for the new terminal in Zagreb looks very futuristic...

http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/zagbre-international/zagbre-international3.html

It looks like everyone is vying for a piece of the tourist pie, each airport wants to be the main entry point for South East Europe...

I have a problem with the capacity figures...TAV (Macedonia) are saying, 40,000 sq/m of terminal space and 6 air bridges will cater for 6 million passengers annually...

The new terminal proposed for Zagreb is 65,600 sq/m, 16 gates and a nominal capacity of 3.3 million passengers annually...

Something doesn't sound right...

[Volk]

from what i can see the new airport will be quite modest by international standards, far from a 'regional hub'

It will be however a major improvement to the current bus terminal that is a national disgrace.

[Phoenix]

from what i can see the new airport will be quite modest by international standards, far from a 'regional hub'

It will be however a major improvement to the current bus terminal that is a national disgrace.

...that would depend on your definition of "regional"...

I have doubts over the accuracy of TAV's figure of 6 million passengers annually...half that figure represents a five fold increase over the current numbers...If Alexander the Great Airport can move 1 million passengers in an efficient manner whilst providing a respectable level of personal service it may influence the travel plans of non Macedonian travellers from the immediate geographical region...but even a great airport is only as good as the road and rail infrastructure connected to it...