newstodate.aero
Nov 05, 2013 (newstodate): A new airport would be high on the wishing list of airlines in the Republic of Georgia.
But the current contract with the operator of Tbilisi Airport, the Turkish company TAV explicitly prohibits construction of a new airport within 150 of Tbilisi, rendering the project impossible.
Alternatively, the existing airport would need a second runway which was also envisaged in the contract with TAV.
But TAV has not taken any steps towards launching this project.
TAV has been managing Georgia's Tbilisi Airport since 2005, and in August 2012 TAV and Georgia signed an MoU extending TAV's concession by another 11 years, for expiry by 2037, on the condition that TAV undertakes to reconstruct the 2,500m runway that is currently out of use.
Georgia is now to seek international financing of the runway reconstruction project deemed crucial for the airport's continued development, and the MoU with TAV for extension of the concession period has been cancelled.
Besides Tbilisi Airport, TAV also holds the concession for managing Georgia's Batumi Airport since 2007.
But the current contract with the operator of Tbilisi Airport, the Turkish company TAV explicitly prohibits construction of a new airport within 150 of Tbilisi, rendering the project impossible.
Alternatively, the existing airport would need a second runway which was also envisaged in the contract with TAV.
But TAV has not taken any steps towards launching this project.
TAV has been managing Georgia's Tbilisi Airport since 2005, and in August 2012 TAV and Georgia signed an MoU extending TAV's concession by another 11 years, for expiry by 2037, on the condition that TAV undertakes to reconstruct the 2,500m runway that is currently out of use.
Georgia is now to seek international financing of the runway reconstruction project deemed crucial for the airport's continued development, and the MoU with TAV for extension of the concession period has been cancelled.
Besides Tbilisi Airport, TAV also holds the concession for managing Georgia's Batumi Airport since 2007.