Tulcea International Airport announces that it has been transited in 2021 by 73 passengers. It's still better than zero-passenger periods. Although it has no passengers, you may be wondering how this airport survives.
Tulcea Airport was not always in this situation. The decline of Tulcea airport began after 2017, when it was transited by 4.323 passengers. The number of passengers continued to decline from year to year. In 2018 there were only 158 passengers, in 2019 there were 984 passengers and in 2020 there were 30 passengers who either boarded or disembarked.
At the end of 2017, the airport was downgraded due to non-compliance with European requirements. Thus, Tulcea Airport could no longer receive large aircraft. In recent years, local authorities have invested huge sums in modernizing the airport. EUR 12 million was invested in firefighting equipment and machinery, IT surveillance equipment, but also the construction of new spaces for employees.
In 2020, the Tulcea County Council implemented and finalized two projects on European non-reimbursable funds of Modernization of the movement surfaces, extension of the runway and of the embarkation platform - landing Danube Delta International Airport Tulcea.
The current runway of the “Danube Delta” Tulcea International Airport (34-16) has the dimensions 2060m x 45m, asphalt and CAT II lighting system.
There are also plans to upgrade the airport. It is hoped that in 2022 the extension works will start. They should be ready in 2023. The investment would be EUR 24 million and will allow access to approximately 200 passengers simultaneously at the terminal, in the context of the current passenger flow of only 50 passengers per hour.
Tulcea International Airport has potential and can be the main gateway to the Danube Delta and the North Dobrogea area. Let's hope that at the end of all the works, the airport will have frequent flights and charters, which can lead to the development of the area.