New departure hall opened at Tashkent International Airport – Photos

The area of the international flights terminal at Islam Karimov International Airport has been expanded from 45,000 square meters to 65,000 square meters as part of the reconstruction project. This was announced during a press tour organized by "Uzbekistan Airports" JSC.

The expansion was achieved by extending towards the car parking area. In this regard, the barriers in front of the departure terminal have been removed, allowing vehicles to reach the building.

For information, road cameras integrated with traffic systems have been installed at the entrance to the terminal, and the system operates automatically. That is, vehicle owners who exceed the permitted parking time will automatically receive a fine notice. Currently, the allowed parking time at the terminal is set at up to 10 minutes for all passenger cars, tourist buses, and minibusses.

A hall with an area of more than 2.5 thousand square meters has been built and put into operation within the departure terminal itself. An initial screening for passengers and visitors has been organized at the entrance. People must place their luggage in the scanner and pass through a metal detector.

The hall includes 40 check-in counters: 37 in the general hall, 2 in the SIP hall, and 1 in the VIP hall. Various services are available, including baggage wrapping, SIM card purchase, ATM services, charging stations, and vending machines.

To access the check-in area, an elevator, stairs, and an escalator have been installed in this zone, allowing access to the upper floor.

Additionally, within the framework of the construction, the "Pax Track" system has been installed to quickly locate passengers who are late for their flights. This turnstile, which is currently operating in test mode, has been installed after the check-in area. The passenger needs to scan their boarding pass, and the employee needs to scan their permit.

This allows airport staff to use the system to determine which sector the late passenger is in and whether they have entered the "sterile" zone after check-in.

What Else is Planned?

According to officials, the international terminal expansion project will continue until the end of 2025. During the ongoing work, the final phase of the reconstruction, starting in September this year, will involve merging the arrival and departure halls into a single terminal, increasing the area to 105,000 square meters, and doubling the passenger throughput capacity from the current 1,200 to 2,400 passengers per hour. Additionally, an area of nearly 4,000 square meters may be allocated for those waiting to receive passengers.

Moreover, a nearly 2,200-square-meter open terrace facing the city will be added on the second floor of the departure terminal. After the reconstruction is completed, the number of check-in counters will reach 90. Twelve hybrid self-check-in and baggage drop-off stations will be installed, allowing passengers to check in and drop off their luggage independently.

The number of border control points in the departure area will also be increased from 34 to 54. The inspection area will be expanded to up to 15 lanes. Additionally, a new passport control zone with 48 passenger lanes will be established in the arrival hall, and the number of baggage claim belts will be increased from four to eight.

It is worth noting that reports about the reconstruction of Tashkent International Airport were first announced in July 2022. At that time, it was stated that only the front part of the facility would be renovated.

Later, it was revealed how the airport would look after the expansion and reconstruction.