My good friend and Blogian reader Anna Hovhannisyan has sent an interesting article about Yerevan International Airport's new look. Living in Denver, Colorado, where the newly reconstruced airport is the biggest one in the United States, I read the article with additional interest; I also wonder how the sinister service will change at Yerevan's airport. Thank you to Anna for the news!!!

Arrival Hall of New Passenger Terminal of Zvartnots Airport inaugurated

By Anna Hovhannisyan
Special to Blogian
September 14, 2006

In 2001 the Government of the Republic of Armenia entered an agreement with “Armenia” International Airports” CJSC to privatise Zvartnots International Airport, the major airport in the nation, for a thirty-year concession period.

New Terminal construction began in July, 2004. It occupies 18,000sq/m terriroty, has approximately 35m width and is situated in the eastern sector of Terminal 1. It is parallelly located along the longitud of the apron which improves the ground handling and positioning of the airplanes. This layout is due to be widened in the future towards the eastern sector.

The New Terminal consists of Arrival and Departure Halls. It is connected with Terminal 1 through a connecting bridge of the Departures Hall. The building has all the conditions of seismicity, and the seismic isolation equipments will maintain the building from any movement or earthquake. It has also a Technical Room which will provide the building with maintenance. The new building is equipped with all the necessary systems, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical, fire fighting and sanitary installations, and so on.

The Arrival Hall of the New Passenger Terminal was inaugurated yesterday, September 13. The red tape was cut by Andranik Margaryan, the Prime Minister of RA and Juan Pablo Gechidjian, the Director of “Armenia” International Airports” CJSC. The Prime Minister didn’t find any defects and said that a few years ago when the airport went under the control of Mr. Eurnekyan, an Argentinean-Armenian, there was a negative opinion towards it. And today looking at it the opinion is quite another one. Vardan Oskanyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed his admiration saying: “Fantastic. Our airport can compete with the best airports in Europe”.

So, the Arrival Hall of the New Terminal is open for arriving passengers starting from today, September 14, 2006. The first passengers arrived from Min. Vodi at 12:15 a.m. today and were welcomed with applauds by the airport administration, managers, employees and official guests. The women also received flowers at the entrance.

Welcome to Armenia – a museum under the open sky!