Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  The latest phase of reconstruction at Tashkent International Airport has been completed, expanding the airport terminal significantly. Since the start of the reconstruction in 2021, the area of the international terminal has grown from 45,000 square meters to 65,000 square meters.

The final phase of the reconstruction, set to begin in September this year, will merge the arrival and departure halls into a single terminal complex, ultimately increasing the total area to approximately 105,000 square meters. This expansion will double the terminal’s capacity from the current 1,200 passengers per hour to 2,400.

A press conference and tour for journalists, bloggers, and aviation enthusiasts were held in conjunction with the opening of the renovated departure hall. Speakers at the event included Javlonbek Umarhodjaev, Chairman of the Board of Uzbekistan Airports, Jasurbek Choriev, Deputy Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, Jasur Pulatov, Director of Tashkent Airport, and Timur Khalilov, Director of Uzbekistan Airports Handling.

The new departure hall features a spacious 2,500-square-meter lobby, where passengers can access the check-in area via elevators, moving walkways, or escalators. Between the lobby and the main terminal building, there is a small green zone with benches. Additionally, a 2,200-square-meter open terrace with a city view will be added to the second floor of the departure area.

In the lobby, passengers and those seeing them off undergo initial screening (luggage is scanned, and people pass through an archway metal detector) and have access to several services, including baggage wrapping, SIM card purchases, ATM services, charging stations, and vending machines. There is also a dedicated room for the screening of small animals, particularly cats, where owners can remove them from their carriers without causing stress and allow airport staff to conduct the screening.

The terminal expansion was made possible by extending the facade forward towards the parking area, which has altered the approach system. The airport no longer has a fence, and vehicles can now drive up to the building’s first floor. It is noteworthy that traffic cameras have been installed on the approach road to the terminal, integrated with Uzbekistan’s traffic police systems. The system will operate automatically, issuing fines to drivers who exceed the allowed stop time on the approach line.

It should be noted that short-term access to the terminal is permitted for all passenger vehicles with a time limit of up to 10 minutes, as well as tourist buses and minibuses with the same time restriction.

Currently, the departure hall has 40 check-in counters (37 in the general hall, 2 in the CIP Lounge, and 1 in the VIP lounge). Upon completion of the reconstruction, the number of counters will increase to 90, including 12 hybrid Self Check-in and Baggage Drop Off counters, where passengers can independently check in and drop off their luggage. The number of border control lines in the departure zone will also increase from 34 to 54, including E-gates. The screening zone will be expanded to 15 channels.

The arrival area will also feature a new passport control zone with 48 passenger passage channels, and the number of baggage carousels will increase from four to eight. Additionally, combining the departure and arrival halls will allow approximately 4,000 square meters to be allocated for a meeting area.

Currently, the Pax Track system, a comprehensive passenger monitoring system, is installed and running in test mode. At the turnstiles, installed immediately after the check-in area, passengers need to scan their boarding passes, and staff must scan their passes. The system will also be integrated with border control systems and aviation security screenings. Thus, in case of a passenger search, airport staff will be able to track their location within the sector and whether they have entered the "sterile" zone after check-in.

As part of the reconstruction, the implementation of Baggage Handling Systems (BHS) and Baggage Reconciliation Systems (BRS) is also planned. New equipment and software will be installed for both departures and arrivals. The system will enable automatic sorting of baggage by flight, tracking luggage from check-in to loading, and minimizing human error in this process.

For passenger convenience, a mobile application is also being developed that will allow users to track their baggage using the baggage tag number.

The Tashkent airport is also undergoing service enhancements. Over the past two years, dozens of commercial outlets have opened, featuring local and international brands. Since the beginning of 2023, over 2,600 square meters of space have been leased through the E-auction electronic platform. Cafes and coffee corners, stores selling jewelry, leather goods, gourmet products, a traditional bazaar with souvenirs and handicrafts, ATMs, charging stations, outlets for purchasing international SIM cards and gadgets, vending machines, and massage chairs have all been added. By the end of this year, another 200 square meters of commercial space will be leased for cafes, watch and jewelry stores, and food trucks. Currently, commercial outlets occupy 4,800 square meters at Tashkent Airport.

The airport also features a spacious Duty-Free store, occupying about 1,200 square meters, offering perfumes, clothing, and accessories from global brands such as Chanel, Armani, Boss, Burberry, Bvlgari, Dior, Céline, D&G, Fendi, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Ray-Ban, Zeppelin, and many others. Soon, shelves will be stocked with items from Bikkembergs, Cerruti, Samsonite, American Tourister, BRICS, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Tissot, Frederique Constant, Maurice Lacroix, Miu Miu, and Jacquemus.

In the "sterile" zone of the departure hall, left of the Art Bazaar, construction has already begun on a food court, which will feature several establishments, including The Border by Teriyaki, Hardee’s, Pizza Hut, La Croissanterie, and Pinkberry.

The construction of additional space also allowed the connection of the general departure hall with the B5-B6-B7 holding area. In the future, there will be an opportunity to create a separate gallery and access to boarding lower gates, which will allow for the separation of arriving and departing passenger flows and the installation of additional jet bridges.

The current capacity of the international terminal of Tashkent Airport is 7 million passengers per year. In 2023, the airport served 6.8 million passengers, with an expected passenger flow of over 8 million this year. The terminal is scheduled for completion after all stages of reconstruction in 2026. Upon completion, the airport’s capacity will increase to 13 million passengers per year.