newstodate.aero
May 29, 2015 (newstodate): Georgia's government and the Turkish airport operator TAV are again to revise the contract over management concession of Tbilisi Airport.
This will put an end to earlier disagreements between the parties over TAV's fulfillment of the earlier concession agreement signed in 2005 under which TAV won the right to manage the airport till 2026.
In August 2012, TAV and Georgia signed an MoU extending TAV's concession by another 11 years, for expiry by 2037, on the condition that TAV undertakes to reconstruct the 2,500m runway that is currently out of use.
The latest revision will, however, again limit TAV's concession to expire in January 2027 provided TAV undertakes to complete the runway reconstruction not later then by the end of this year as well as add new aircraft parking stands.
A new airport to serve Tbilisi is high on the wishing list of airlines in the Republic of Georgia, but the contract with TAV explicitly prohibits construction of a new airport within 150 of Tbilisi, rendering the project impossible.
Alternatively, the existing airport would need a second runway which was also envisaged in the contract with TAV, but TAV has not taken steps towards launching this project.
As a temporary measure, the airport thus urgently needs reconstruction of the existing 2,500m runway which is now the key target.
This will put an end to earlier disagreements between the parties over TAV's fulfillment of the earlier concession agreement signed in 2005 under which TAV won the right to manage the airport till 2026.
In August 2012, TAV and Georgia signed an MoU extending TAV's concession by another 11 years, for expiry by 2037, on the condition that TAV undertakes to reconstruct the 2,500m runway that is currently out of use.
The latest revision will, however, again limit TAV's concession to expire in January 2027 provided TAV undertakes to complete the runway reconstruction not later then by the end of this year as well as add new aircraft parking stands.
A new airport to serve Tbilisi is high on the wishing list of airlines in the Republic of Georgia, but the contract with TAV explicitly prohibits construction of a new airport within 150 of Tbilisi, rendering the project impossible.
Alternatively, the existing airport would need a second runway which was also envisaged in the contract with TAV, but TAV has not taken steps towards launching this project.
As a temporary measure, the airport thus urgently needs reconstruction of the existing 2,500m runway which is now the key target.