The future Pulkovo-3 terminal could become one of the most unusual airport projects in Russia. The airport management proposes to implement a transformer terminal concept, where international and domestic zones will not be permanently fixed, but will be able to change depending on flight schedules and load.
As Leonid Sergeev, CEO of Pulkovo Airport, explained in an interview with TASS, today the Russian border within the airport is effectively tied to specific premises. International passengers can only arrive and pass through control via pre-approved zones. Changing this scheme requires lengthy approvals from government agencies.
In practice, this leads to the need to build separate large terminals for domestic and international flights. At the same time, peak loads often do not coincide: international traffic can be maximal at night, and domestic traffic during the day. A similar situation is observed in different seasons of the year.
The transformer terminal concept involves the use of digital access control systems, mobile control points, and flexible distribution of passenger flows. Depending on the time of day, part of the terminal will be able to operate as an international zone, and then switch to serving domestic flights.
The main advantage of this approach is more efficient use of space. Instead of building two large terminals, the airport will be able to serve more passengers in one building. This reduces capital expenditures and potentially avoids an increase in airport fees, which ultimately affect the cost of air tickets.
However, the project will require adaptation of the regulatory framework. In addition to border control issues, tasks related to the operation of shops, duty-free, and differences in trade rules within the country and abroad will need to be resolved.