Marculesti Airport will be modernized and will be able to serve domestic and international passenger and cargo flights
This was reported by the government press service, noting that this is provided for by the relevant amendments, which the Cabinet of Ministers approved to the Law on the International Free Airport "Marculesti". The draft law stipulates the transfer of management of Marculesti Airport to the State Enterprise "Chisinau International Airport", which will allow for more efficient coordination of activities and increase investment in the modernization of the airport infrastructure. As noted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Marculesti Airport will be modernized and equipped with the necessary infrastructure so that it can handle domestic and international passenger flights, as well as cargo flights. Thus, it will be possible to transform the airport in Marculesti into a modern and competitive aviation hub, which can become a point of attraction for investors and a platform for new business opportunities. Moldova's integration into international air transport networks will also be supported. “Infrastructure is what makes economic development and productivity growth in the economy possible,” Prime Minister Dorin Recean emphasized. It is planned that the development of Marculesti airport will contribute to the development of the entire northern region of the country, creating new jobs, as well as amenities for travelers, in conditions when there is currently an increased demand for air transport services in our country. Marculesti airport is located 150 km from Chisinau, its runway is operational. Currently, its infrastructure is managed by the State Enterprise "Marculesti International Airport", thus the state is its sole owner. The economic activity of the airport in Marculesti currently includes the following related activities: provision of airfield operator services by collecting airport fees; services for leasing of enterprise assets (land, hangars, office premises). Accordingly, the main source of income of the company is leasing, and not certified operational activity - airfield operator. Given the current infrastructure at the airport, with state support and some investments it will be possible to launch commercial passenger transportation from/to the airport, as well as develop the cargo segment; negotiations with interested aviation companies are already underway. The passenger terminal should be designed in a modular manner to ensure the handling of passengers and aircraft with a traffic intensity of about 200 passengers/hour during peak hours (400 passengers/hour at stage 2), both on departure and arrival, with the number of passengers simultaneously in the airport terminal of about 500 people. The terminal should also contain premises for offices necessary for the airport administration, premises for state bodies (Border Service, Customs Service, etc.) and technical premises to ensure the functionality of internal heating, water supply, sewerage, electrical installations, ventilation and air conditioning, etc. Although Marculesti Airport has the equipment and systems necessary for the operation, most of them are outdated and require replacement. In this regard, the need for the following assets was identified: CNS equipment (communication, navigation and surveillance) and flight procedures; ground equipment (PSI – fire protection and extinguishing, snow removal, runway maintenance, etc.); vehicles (perimeter patrol to ensure aviation security); additional equipment to ensure the security control of passengers, baggage, mail and cargo. According to preliminary estimates, the total cost of the activities necessary to launch passenger air transportation from/to Marculesti Airport is about 4.2 million euros (repair works on the runway, taxiways, aprons and aircraft parking areas, passenger terminal, aviation security system as a whole, lighting system). After studying potential national investors, the State Enterprise Chisinau International Airport is the only one that currently meets all the criteria according to the standards in this field, having the necessary experts, equipment for maintenance and repair, as well as the financial resources necessary to launch activities at Marculesti Airport. // 05.06.2025 — InfoMarket
