FORUM SYNOPSIS:
Zvartnots airport

On Wednesday November 29th Birthright Armenia volunteers participated in an all-new forum at the Zvartnots "Armenia" International Airport. On the agenda was a presentation and a tour of the new facilities.

Mr. Andranik Shkhyan, head of the commercial department, greeted the volunteers at the administrative offices, and gave a presentation regarding the newly built passenger terminal and the future plans for expansion. In 2002, the company owned by Argentinean-Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian, which runs nearly 40 airports around the world, signed a management agreement with the Government of the Republic of Armenia, according to which "Zvartnots" Yerevan Airport was to be operated by "Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 " for a term of 50 years.

"Our primary goal is to provide safety and security. For that reason we have totally renovated the runway to handle almost any type of aircraft in the world. Addtionally we are looking at adding equipment down the road that will enable airplanes to land in poor visibility conditions", Mr.Skhyan said.

"In 2004 we started the construction of the new terminal which is due to be completed by 2008. The first phase of the new terminal, operating today, provides all necessary services for arrivals. In 2009 Zvartnots will be able to handle arrival and departure traffic of 4 million passengers annually", he emphasized.

Our host described how Yerevan intends to become a hub for airlines operating flights between Europe and Asia. Currently Yerevan is a destination only, but with our improved facilities, it will also become a major transit point to other countries.

As far as passenger comfort, Mr. Shkhyan said that the airport management will be placing great emphasis on training its staff for dealing with passenger issues. Likewise, the design of the airport will facilitate passenger travel from the ramp to the street. "The idea is to have a building that will easily navigate the passenger so that he or she will have no need for directions." said Mr. Shkhyan.

Prior to 2002, most of the traffic at the airport was with other CIS based companies. Now there are nearly 10 other international carriers with scheduled flights to Yerevan, and the plan is to increase that number as travel numbers increase and commensurate facilities are built.

After the presentation, the volunteers were treated to a tour of the new terminal areas. Certainly something that travelers to Armenia can be very proud of.