newstodate.aero
Apr 11, 2011 (newstodate): Things did not work as fast as hoped for by Latvia's Liepaja Airport that will now be about one year late in its plans for re-development of its infrastructure.
In September 2010 Liepaja Airport, 210 km west of Riga, was cleared by the Latvian state to apply for EU support for a project to upgrade its infrastructure.
The project for re-development includes the renovation the runway to increase its bearing and extension by 300 m to 2,300 m, as well as upgrading of its currently obsolete runway lighting system.
Hopes were to start construction works by this spring, with completion of the projects by the end of 2011.
-It did not work out this way, says Agris Sprude, Liepaja International Airport Director.
-The state notification of the application took more time than expected, and the Ministry of Transportation was also delayed in implementing the program. So the project is running one year late, compared to the earlier hopes.
-We now hope be able to start the design phase in 2011, leading up to the opening of a tender around year-end. Construction works may then start by next spring and be completed by the end of 2012.
-In the meantime the situation will remain unchanged. We have some ad-hoc charters and GA activities, and that will not change till we can offer new runway facilities.
-By then we hope to see traffic coming back to Liepaja, including airBaltic and other carriers, says Mr Sprude.
In 2007, airBaltic launched services from Liepaja Airport to Hamburg and Copenhagen and the now-defunct Russian carrier Atlant-Soyuz operated flights from 2008 between Liepaja and Moscow.
In September 2010 Liepaja Airport, 210 km west of Riga, was cleared by the Latvian state to apply for EU support for a project to upgrade its infrastructure.
The project for re-development includes the renovation the runway to increase its bearing and extension by 300 m to 2,300 m, as well as upgrading of its currently obsolete runway lighting system.
Hopes were to start construction works by this spring, with completion of the projects by the end of 2011.
-It did not work out this way, says Agris Sprude, Liepaja International Airport Director.
-The state notification of the application took more time than expected, and the Ministry of Transportation was also delayed in implementing the program. So the project is running one year late, compared to the earlier hopes.
-We now hope be able to start the design phase in 2011, leading up to the opening of a tender around year-end. Construction works may then start by next spring and be completed by the end of 2012.
-In the meantime the situation will remain unchanged. We have some ad-hoc charters and GA activities, and that will not change till we can offer new runway facilities.
-By then we hope to see traffic coming back to Liepaja, including airBaltic and other carriers, says Mr Sprude.
In 2007, airBaltic launched services from Liepaja Airport to Hamburg and Copenhagen and the now-defunct Russian carrier Atlant-Soyuz operated flights from 2008 between Liepaja and Moscow.