DELAYS TO construction work at Moscow/ Sheremetyevo means its new runway may now not be completed in time for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup. The football tournament, which kicks off across Russia in June, is expected to welcome up to one million visitors, many of whom will arrive via the Moscow hub. This anticipated influx of traffic had prompted the airport to embark on an expansion project, increasing terminal capacity to 57 million per year, and adding a third runway and a supporting net work of taxiways.
However, local press reports suggest less than 44% of the new runway had been laid by October, with further progress likely to be hampered by winter weather. Construction company Transstroymekhanizatsiya remains confident the project, the cost of which has already risen from 35.5 to 55.7bn roubles ($590m to $926m), will be completed on time. But Russian daily newspaper Vedomosti – citing an unnamed source close to the transport ministry – said the slow progress has now forced Sheremetyevo to make provisions to accommodate the increased traffic with its existing infrastructure. (Photo Fyodor Borisov / Transport-Photo Images)