Warsaw's Second Airport Under Construction

According to Przedsiebiorstwo Porty Lotnicze (PPL) the new airport in Modlin near Warsaw could open as early as June 2005, although the current state of construction work does not look so optimistic.

The Military Property Agency (AMW) and the PPL which jointly own the airport, want to convert it from a military to a civilian airport as soon as possible. "The first planes are to land here probably in June," said AMW president Jerzy Rasilewicz. The plans are that the Modlin airport would assume the role of the small Etiuda terminal of the Okcie airport and, "Will be used by budget carriers, charter planes, private planes, cargo and night flights," said Deputy Infrastructure Minister Jan Kurylczyk. Initial estimates are that converting the airport will cost at least z?.100 million. The first z?.15 million, needed for the navigation equipment and infrastructure, will have to be raised by PPL, while the rest will come from the state budget. It is estimated that the Modlin airport would serve 500,000-600,000 passengers in its first year of operation.