Vnukovo International Airport

Vnukovo International Airport
Name	Vnukovo International Airport
IATA	VKO
ICAO	UUWW
Owner	Government of Moscow
Operator	JSC Vnukovo Airport
City-served	Moscow
Location	Vnukovo District, Moscow
Elevation-f	685
Elevation-m	209
Coordinates	55, 35, 46, N...
Website	https://vnukovo.ru/

Vnukovo International Airport. It is one of the three major airports serving the Moscow metropolitan area, alongside Sheremetyevo International Airport and Domodedovo International Airport. Located in the Vnukovo District of the city, it is a key hub for domestic flights and serves as a focus city for several airlines. The airport has a long history, having been a primary gateway for Soviet and later Russian government flights, and continues to handle significant passenger and cargo traffic.

History

The airport's origins date to the early years of the Great Patriotic War, with construction beginning in 1937 and the first flight operations commencing in 1941. During World War II, it served as a crucial military airfield for the Soviet Air Forces. In the post-war era, it was developed into a major civilian airport, with its first terminal opening in 1956. Vnukovo became the primary airport for the Soviet Union's leadership, famously used by figures like Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev, and was the site of the 1960 U-2 incident involving Francis Gary Powers. Major expansions occurred in the 1980s, including the construction of Terminal B, and it underwent significant modernization in the 2000s, with the opening of the new Terminal A in 2016 to handle increased international traffic.

Facilities

The airport complex consists of three main passenger terminals: Terminal A for international and some domestic flights, Terminal B for domestic services, and the VIP Terminal for government and private aviation. Its runways, 06/24 and 02/20, are capable of handling all types of aircraft, including the Ilyushin Il-96 and Antonov An-124. Cargo operations are managed by the Vnukovo-Cargo terminal, a major logistics center. The airport features extensive maintenance facilities operated by companies like Vnukovo-Avia and is a base for the Special Flight Detachment, which transports the President of Russia and other state officials.

Airlines and destinations

Vnukovo serves as a primary operational base for Utair and a significant base for Pobeda, handling a dense network of domestic routes to cities like Sochi, Saint Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. It is also a focus city for Azur Air and Nordwind Airlines, which operate numerous charter flights. Key international carriers include Turkish Airlines to Istanbul Airport, Wizz Air to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, and Flydubai to Dubai International Airport. The airport connects to destinations across the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

Ground transportation

The airport is connected to central Moscow by the Aeroexpress train service, which provides a non-stop link to Kiyevsky railway station in approximately 35 minutes. Multiple public bus and marshrutka routes, such as those to Yugo-Zapadnaya and Salaryevo metro stations, offer connections to the Moscow Metro network. Taxi services and car rentals from companies like Avis and Hertz are widely available. A major highway, the Kievskoye Highway, provides direct road access to the city center and the Moscow Ring Road.

Accidents and incidents

The airport has been the site of several notable aviation accidents. In 1972, an Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-62 crashed during a training flight, killing all on board. A significant disaster occurred in 2014 when a Dassault Falcon 50 carrying the CEO of Total S.A., Christophe de Margerie, collided with a snowplow on the runway, resulting in four fatalities. In 2019, an Utair Boeing 737 overran the runway during an aborted takeoff in poor weather, leading to injuries but no fatalities. These events have prompted reviews of ground handling and safety procedures at the facility.

Statistics

In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport handled over 24 million passengers, making it one of the busiest in Russia. It typically ranks third in passenger traffic among Moscow's airports, behind Sheremetyevo International Airport and Domodedovo International Airport. The airport serves over 100 destinations across more than 30 countries and handles a substantial volume of air cargo. Major carriers by passenger share include Pobeda, Utair, and Nordwind Airlines. The airport's capacity is designed to accommodate up to 35 million passengers annually following its recent modernization projects.

Category:Airports in Russia Category:Transport in Moscow Category:Buildings and structures in Moscow