Tbilisi International Airport among top 10 in Eastern Europe

International air travellers have named Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli International Airport as one of the best in Eastern Europe.

The airport, which serves Georgia’s capital city, was recognised as among the top 10 airports in Eastern Europe by the World Airport Awards.

The awards are regarded as the most prestigious accolades for the airport industry and the result was calculated by passenger voting in the largest annual airport customer service survey conducted by Skytrax.

TAV Georgia, the company that operated Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi international airports, today announced Tbilisi International Airport had been named as one of the best airports in Eastern Europe for the third time in a row.

It’s the third year in a row that TAV Georgia has received this prestigious recognition by ‘SkyTrax 2016 World Airport Awards’, listing Tbilisi International Airport among the TOP 10 airports in Eastern Europe,” read the post on TAV Georgia official Facebook page.

Singapore’s Changi Airport was crowned the World's Best Airport in the Skytrax 2016 World Airport Awards, followed by Incheon International Airport in South Korea and Munich Airport in Germany.

The world’s next best airports were Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) in Japan, Hong Kong International Airport, Chubu Centrair Nagoya in Japan, Zurich Airport in Switzerland, London Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom, Kansai International Airport in Japan and Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.

Meanwhile, remedial work has begun on the main runway and terminal at Tbilisi International Airport to ensure it meets international standards and can cater for growing air traffic.

Georgia’s Ministry of Economy announced the works should be completed in 12 weeks. Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili has taken responsibility of the rehabilitation process at the airport.

Rehabilitation works at the airport include: 

• Installing navigational lighting for runway Alpha;
• Works to cover, widen and lay asphalt are currently underway on runway Bravo and Charlie;
• Rubber waste accumulated as a result of aircrafts landing has been removed from the runways;
• Crack repair work was being carried out on the runways;
• Aircraft turning places were being developed on the runways; and
• Demolition of existing navigation lighting was being carried out on runway 13R.

The decision to upgrade the main runway at Tbilisi International Airport was made in May 2015 after the Government renewed its agreement with TAV Holding to continue operating the airport.

Taking into account the fact that Tbilisi International Airport hosted 1.8 million passengers [last year], TAV Georgia decided to build a new arrivals terminal. Furthermore, new parking spaces will be created for cars,” read a press release by Georgia’s Ministry of Economy.

The entire rehabilitation works will be completed in 2017.