In 2020 Gagarin international airport (managed by Airports of Regions MC) provided its services for 534,502 passengers, with 533,376 of these using inland domestic flights. Also 1,126 international travelers received the airport’s services in the beginning of 2020.
Flights from Gagarin airport were performed by 8 airlines flying to 11 destinations on a regular basis. On domestic and international routes 4,981 takeoff and landing operations were performed, whereas the total volume of cargoes and mail handled in 2020 exceeded 808 tonnes.
In 2020 the runway of Gagarin airport was certified by the Directorate for Airport Operations at the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) as a second category precision approach runway with both directions for landing. This allows a precision approach to landing for aircrafts under challenging weather conditions: the decision-making height may range from 30 to 60 meters with the runway visual range of no less than 350 meters.
In 2020 a special emphasis was placed on preventing the spread of coronavirus infection during the pandemic, with strenuous measures taken at the airport: all passengers of and visitors to the airport pass thermal imaging cameras. Body temperature measuring devices are set up at the exit from the baggage claim area of domestic airlines and at the entrance to the passenger terminal. Public spaces, contacting equipment in inspection areas and boarding gates as well as check-in counters are treated with disinfectants. The buses and other transportation vehicles catering to aircrafts are also disinfected. Signposts placed in the terminal alert passengers to the need to mind social distancing, in addition to warnings about prevention measures broadcasted via the PA system. As per the requirements of the National Consumer Health Watchdog, all employees of the airport pass mandatory medical examination before the beginning of their shift and they are guided by the social distancing principle in their activities. They are also provided with protective facemasks and gloves as well as with disinfectants in ample amount. The facemask-wearing regime has been imposed and the crowding of personnel at workplaces has been excluded.
Construction on Gagarin international airport is the biggest infrastructure project of national civil aviation, delivered in 2019. The project was implemented as part of a public-private partnership with Russian government, Saratov Region’s government, and Airports of Regions holding being its key stakeholders.
