OREANDA-NEWS. UTair Aviation, the Kaluga Region government and the General Command of Russian Internal Forces of the Russian Ministry of Interior signed a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding for the realization of an investment project for the construction of the Ermolino International Airport and the modernization of the existing Ermolino Aerodrome near Balabanovo in Kaluga Region.

The Kaluga Region local government agreed to aid in attracting investors, providing support for the project in accordance with national and regional regulations and collaborating with the federal government.

The General Command of Russian Internal Forces of the Russian Ministry of Interior and UTair will make joint use of the airport and intend to sign a contract to share it as a hub. The General Command will work to facilitate the use of the airport for international flights.

UTair Aviation will take measures to prepare the airport for exploitation in accordance with existing regulations for civil airports. UTair will also consider establishing local affiliates at Ermolino to ensure the safety of its aircraft.

The general scope of the construction and renovation project includes:

- 250,000 m2 of a pron area and 45 parking spots;

- an airport terminal with capacity up to 2,500 passengers per hour;

- a fueling complex;

- an emergency station;

- maintenance facilities and utility networks;

- a hotel complex, restaurants and cafЁ¦s;

- road and rail infrastructure connecting the airport to existing infrastructure.

The airport will comply with Category II ICAO Airdrome Standards. The flight operations are scheduled to begin in 2017.

The reconstruction of the airport and building of an international airport will offer decreased air traffic for Moscow airports. The implementation of this project will create more than 3,500 jobs.

Ermolino International Airport will be ready to serve guests and participants of the FIFA World Cup in 2018.

UTair Aviationranks among the top three Russian airlines. In 2013 UTair Aviation aircraft transported 9,625,295 passengers and the combined UTair Group fleet transported 10,413,803 passengers. UTair Aviation operates more than 150 fixed wing aircraft and performs flights to 110 destinations in Russia and abroad. The airline maintains its central hub at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, from which it performs more than 100 flights daily.