In the first quarter of this year, it is planned to announce the international procurement of the master plan study of the Lithuanian airports. This study will assess the existing functions, aviation performance forecasts, development alternatives, infrastructure requirements and layout plans for all three airports. The master plan would indicate the real infrastructure capacity, potential, extent and area of expansion with the airport’s current capacity and taking into account the long-term perspective. Currently, the arrival terminal of Vilnius Airport does not meet any of the technical and qualitative parameters required for today’s aviation. The possibilities of integrating the Rail Baltica railway line into the airport will also be assessed.
It is planned to complete this study at the end of the year, with the help of foreign airport planning and Lithuanian heritage protection experts.
“We are planning a long-term development at Vilnius Airport – the air gate of the Lithuanian capital must be comfortable for passengers, meet international standards and perform its functions properly. The international railway track of Rail Baltica will also be extended to this airport, so it is obvious that the passenger arrival area will change significantly. Assessing the new passenger service needs, it is necessary to decide what changes to the existing architecture are possible, and what perspective we see in the central part of the arrival terminal,” said Marius Skuodis, the Minister of Transport and Communications.
The arrival terminal of Vilnius Airport must perform its functions properly, therefore, according to Skuodis, it is important to review the protected cultural heritage objects at Vilnius Airport without delay.
After the preparation of the master plan, in the preparation process of which it is planned to involve cultural heritage experts, together with the representatives of the Cultural Heritage Protection Department (KVAD), the existing KVAD restrictions at Vilnius Airport and the fate of the heritage object present will be decided.
After completion of the master plan and review of the status of the protected objects, a procurement procedure for architectural solutions will be announced for the future development of the current Vilnius Airport terminal.
The Minister of Transport and Communications M. Skuodis discussed the possibilities of changes of the old arrival terminal important for long-term development with the Minister of Culture Simonas Kairys, the Director of the Cultural Heritage Department Vidmantas Bezaras and the Director of SE Lithuanian Airports Marius Gelžinis.
“When dealing with cultural heritage policy, it is always important to clearly identify priorities, seek communication and balance. With this in mind, it is really possible to better adapt such objects as Vilnius Airport to the needs of today’s society,” said Kairys, the Minister of Culture.
A clear decision on the cultural heritage to be preserved at Vilnius Airport would allow to formulate the task for architects more clearly and speed up the work. According to the Minister of Transport and Communications, taking into account the future development of Vilnius International Airport, it is necessary to decide more quickly on this building, which also requires considerable maintenance costs.
The construction of current arrival building of Vilnius Airport was completed in 1954, and was entered in the Register of Cultural Heritage in 1984.
