The working group on the development of Moscow Air Hub (MAH) chaired by the Deputy Minister of Transport of the RF Oleg Belozerov met on 28 March 2013. The meeting discussed the forecasts for the passenger flow in MAH up to 2030 and other preliminary results of work.
The Deputy Transport Minister of the RF Valeriy Okulov, the Counsellor to the President of the RF Igor Levitin, as well as the members of the project working group, including the representatives of the airports Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Aeroflot, S7, the Administration of the RF President, the RF Presidential Apparatus, the Federal Air Transport Agency, FTS, the Federal Property Management Agency and others took part in the meeting.
The meeting discussed the forecasts for the passenger flow and air freight through the MAH up to 2030, the key aspects of the projects financial model, the restrictions of the capacity of the air traffic management system in the MAH as well as other preliminary results of the work of the consortium and advisors, responsible for the projects.
Albert Eganyan, the partner of the law firm VEGAS LEX and the leader of the consortium responsible for the legal and property issues, announced the preliminary results of the work. At the present moment the forecast for the passenger and traffic flow through the MAH till 2030 was made, which was based on the microeconomic and socio-demographic factors, global forecasts for the development of the air traffic and strategies of the major airlines. Apart from that, the preliminary model of payment for the use of public infrastructure was designed, and the suggestions for the development of the tariff regulation system, based on the international experience of attracting extra-budget investments for the purposes of aerodrome and airport infrastructure development were made.
Moreover, the consortium of advisors analysed the current status and the capacity of the external ground transport infrastructure of the MAH, as well as restrictions of the capacity of the air traffic management system.
The significant interim results provided the basis for the project background book, which will form the basis for production of final recommendations, including the design of the business model for development of MAH till 2030.
The Associate partner of Lufthansa Consulting Stanislav Solomko (technical and economic issues), described three predictive scenarios for the development of the passenger and air freight traffic in the MAH till 2030. Under the basic scenario the passenger flow will be around 179 million people a year (which is three times more in comparison with 2012 figures, and in case of the innovation-based growth of the global and domestic economy it will be 300 million people. However even under the basic scenario on which the model for the development of the MAH was based, 3-5 runways will be constructed before 2030.
The Project Development Director of InfraONE Irina Blokhina (financial and economic issues) spoke about the fundamental assumptions underlying the project financial model. Particularly, it is expected that it will be necessary to attract extra-budgetary resources, including by means of introducing a new tolling system for the access to the infrastructure in order to fill the MAH infrastructure funding gap. The purpose of such toll will be raising and accumulation of funds sufficient for the maintenance and development of the aerodrome infrastructure, as well as for the defrayal of the investors' costs and provision of returns on their investments. Moreover, the rent rate necessary for securing the investments into the development of the MAH infrastructure was evaluated. The combination of such extra-budgetary resources may form the basis for the MAH development financial model.
According to preliminary estimates the aerodrome infrastructure finance needs will amount to at least RUR 125 million. Taking into account the funds allocated in the federal budget for the project implementation another RUR 40-50 billion of private investments will be needed. The scope of finance of the ground infrastructure (motor roads and railway) is still subject to more precise definition.
Sergey Pyatko, the Director of the Branch of the Aeronavigation R&D establishment of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise the State R&D Establishment for the Commercial Aviation informed the participants about the need to increase the capacity of the MAH air space by means of integrated upgrade of the air traffic management system. According to preliminary estimates the upgrade which is scheduled for completion in 2014 will ensure the capacity of the MAH air traffic management system of maximum 132 million of passengers per year, which is insufficient for implementation of the basic scenario. In view of the above it is necessary to look at more radical options: the usage of small and departmental aerodromes of the MAH for the carriage of passengers, transfer of certain types of carriage (for example, business aviation or cargo) from the main airports to the small ones, potential shut-down of small airports conflicting with the main ones in the air, etc.
During the talks the members of the working group discussed the principal focus areas, including the restrictions of the external ground infrastructure of MAH (motor road and railway), which may become the most powerful deterrent for the development of the MAH in the nearest 3-4 years.
The next discussion will be held on April 15 at a working group meeting chaired by the First Vice Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, when the advisors will complete the first stage of work.
For additional information on the meeting`s results please contact the press service of VEGAS LEX on: +7 (495) 933-08-00.
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On December 27, 2012, the working group of the Government of the RF chaired by the First Vice Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov has specified the members of the consortium for the design of the Moscow Air Hub development project. The consortium is made up of the law firm VEGAS LEX, Lufthansa Consulting, the First Infrastructure Company InfraONE, ARUP, Branch of the Aeronavigation R&D establishment of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise the State R&D Establishment for the Commercial Aviation.
Summarizing the results of the consortium work on 1 July 2013 the working group chaired by the First Vice Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov will specify further directions for the development of MAH and its major airports - Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo.
