Construction of the Airport in Modlin has begun

Warsaw will have another international airport besides Chopin Airport. Work has already started at Modlin and is due to end by mid-2012.

Within eighteen months, the Modlin military aerodrome is to be transformed into a modern airport. For this to happen, the 2.5 km runway, taxiway and aprons must be modernised, and new access roads and a passenger terminal built. Work began with the symbolic opening of the gate to let in the construction machines. “This is an important investment for Warsaw and Mazowsze region. It will help our region to develop even faster”, said Piotr Okieńczyc, chairman of the Mazowiecki Port Lotniczy Warszawa-Modlin company.

The Modlin airport should handle at least 1.8 m passengers annually. According to Michał Marzec, general director of ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise, the new airport will supplement the offer of Warsaw Chopin Airport. “It won’t deprive Chopin Airport of passengers but will broaden the market” – says Marzec. “The airlines which will operate here are ones which, for various reasons, cannot, or do not want to land at Okęcie. The overall number of passengers will rise.“

The initial proposal to transform the airfield in Modlin into a civilian airport came from ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise, the operator of Warsaw Chopin Airport. The first studies and most of the business, design and technical documentation necessary for the investment to take off was financed by PPL, which has invested PLN 74 million in the project.

In 2006, Mazowiecki Port Lotniczy Warszawa-Modlin sp. z o.o. company was set up. At the moment its shareholders in the company are: the Military Property Agency (38.572 per cent of shares), Mazovian Province (34.024 per cent), ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise (25.743 per cent) and the town of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki (1.661 per cent).