Moldova plans major expansion of Chișinău International Airport
Chișinău International Airport will be expanded by approximately 5,000 square meters, representing an increase of about 30% of the existing terminal area. The total investment is estimated at 140–145 million lei and will be financed from the airport’s own revenues, without external loans.
The announcement was made during a television program by Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development (MIDR), CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.
“We decided to expand the existing terminal to meet passenger needs, given the rapid growth in traffic—over 5 million passengers this year and a trend toward reaching 6 million in the near future,” Bolea said.
The project includes infrastructure modernization, an increase in the number of boarding gates from 7 to 13, and the creation of more comfortable passenger areas, ensuring more efficient services and improved passenger flow.
Deputy Prime Minister Bolea also mentioned the need to create better conditions for Ukrainian citizens using Chișinău Airport in the context of the war in Ukraine. About half of the airport’s passengers are foreign citizens, most of them Ukrainians.
“Those who arrive through Chișinău Airport to travel onward to Odesa, for example, are forced to walk distances of 500–700 meters to the nearest stop, in rain or sun, without access to toilets or shelter. We will discuss with airport management to find quick solutions, such as building a shelter or a hangar to ensure a minimum level of comfort,” Bolea explained.
As reported by CE Report, the official emphasized that the state will continue to develop the airport and ensure optimal transport conditions even if, after Ukrainian airports reopen, passenger numbers and revenues decline.
