Igor Sikorsky Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany) (Ukrainaian : Міжнародний аеропорт “Київ” імені Ігоря Сікорського (Жуляни)) (IATA: IEV,ICAO: UKKK) is one of the two passenger airports of the Ukraniana capital Kiev. It is owned by the municipality of Kiev and located in the southern Zhuliany neighbourhood of the city. Aside from facilitating regular passenger flights, Kyiv International Airport is also the main business aviaition airport in Ukraine, and one of the busiest business aviation hubs in Europe.
After Ukraine gained independence in 1991, “Kyiv” airport began receiving international flights from nearby countries (first from its former soviet domestic destinations), increasingly so since the 2000s when Ukraine’s civil aviation started booming. On 27 March 2011, Wizz Air, the locally-pioneering low cost airline, moved all its operations to “Zhuliany” from the Boryspil Airport, – starting the new era of around-the-clock flights at the airport and increasing the passenger traffic by 15 to 20%.
In 2012, the airport has managed to survive the European cold wave without major flight delays or cancellations.
Surrounded by major railways, highways and residential districts, the airport has limited possibilities to expand its runway. Therefore, it is limited in the weight of aircraft that are allowed to fly in the airport (currently up to Boeing 737/Airbus A320 type). In 2013, the airport declared plans to expand the runway for additional 150 m, although stressing complete safety and operability of its current length. Other parts of the airport infrastructure are also being developed. The new “A” terminal opened on 17 May 2012, now receives all international and some domestic flights. Projects for expanding Zhuliany’s taxiways and aircraft parking lots considered as well.
