Introducing the building

The architectonic concept for the new terminal is based on the latest trends and uses the most modern technology. It highlights a single outstanding building, which will deliver all the necessary functions needed to handle passengers and baggage. It is a dynamic construction covering a total ground area of 170m x 70m, the core of which consists of the public departures-arrivals hall spread out over three aboveground levels of the terminal, thus creating a grand scale space covered in glass on all sides. The prominent progressive roofing, with its main advantage of natural light throughout the day, runs through the whole depth of the building

predstavenie stavby

The specific internal and adjacent external premises provide the terminal building with a unique look. On the main facade facing the foreground, in other words the public area in front of the terminal, on the western part of the building, is where a prominent Letisko Bratislava sign is installed. The public access side is defined by a high facade with an adjacent public internal area, whereas the airside part of the building, with respect to its south-facing direction, has an extended space within the depth of the interior area, i.e. in the transit hall. The glass façade, excluding the front-facing area, is covered by a huge cantilever roof, protruding and breaking up the simple facade mass in a manner to best protect from the impact of extreme weather conditions. A special feature are the extended boarding bridges along the whole airport facade length on the departures side of the terminal, which ensure the smooth flow of passengers from the transit hall to the aircraft, or providing transit into the other terminals. This solution will significantly contribute to the safety of the movement of people in the movement area and thus prevent possible collisions.

The layout of the new terminal complies with the operational requirements and needs before and after handling passengers and baggage. The goal was to attain operationally transparent premises with a simple and fast orientation for passengers.

In the newly built first section of the terminal constructed during Phase One, the ground floor includes the public departures area with passenger handling services. The main communications system comprises escalators and lifts located in the central part of the lobby. A specific feature of the interior is the alternation of high spaces and areas of standard clear height used as technical service space. The public hall is sited across the whole height of the building and the main verticals connect all the other floors to it. The first floor is dedicated to administrative space – including the airport administration or airline representatives. The direct route to the Departures area is by escalators from the ground floor to the second floor, where passengers pass through security control and into the dedicated security area. This is where the shopping and relaxation zone and the departure gates are located.

Phase Two includes the finalisation of the construction of the second section of the building, where the ground floor will serve arriving passengers and the second floor will extend the current Departures waiting area.

The new terminal, after its completion in June 2012, will increase the capacity of the terminal from the current 3.5 million to 5 million passengers. The investment is not expected to yield profits over the short term, but rather over the long term with the target capacity corresponding to estimates associated with development for the next 10 – 15 years. The terminal will contribute significantly to increasing the quality of provided services and to improving the comfort of the passengers using air transportation from M. R. Štefánik Airport - Airport Bratislava.