From Soviet Relic to Renationalization Target
If you thought the recent turmoil at Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 was as bad as it can get for an international airport, then think again.
While London’s flagship gateway has been dealing with lost luggage, angry passengers and flight delays over the past few weeks, Moscow’s leading airport has for years fought a bitter struggle for control, court cases, rate hikes and even attempts to renationalize it.
As recently as 1997, Domodedovo Airport was an aging Soviet relic, condemned by officials as dilapidated and dangerous. After just over a decade and more than $1 billion in private investment, however, bustling Domodedovo has outstripped Sheremetyevo as the country’s busiest airport.
Located 35 kilometers south of Moscow, Domodedovo now services more than 75 airlines, including foreign giants such as Lufthansa and British Airways. Every day, up to 100,000 people pass through the state-of-the-art terminal, coming and going on almost 600 flights to locations from Houston to Hanoi.
But since coming under private management in the late 1990s, the airport has been dogged by controversy and legal claims. Domodedovo is at the center of a legal tug-of-war between the Federal Property Management Agency and East Line, the secretive umbrella firm that has run the hub for more than 10 years.
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Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 7:18 pm under