OREANDA-NEWS. Basel Aero, a part of Russia's largest industrial diversified group Basic Element, announces that Sochi International Airport, a main gateway of the Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix, served over 83,000 passengers on October 6-13.

A total of 1,179 flights including 198 international, 571 business ones and 199 charter flights were handled in the Sochi International Airport on October 6-13, during the days of Formula 1 races in Sochi. During this period over 83,000 arriving and departing passengers went through the gateway. A number of private jets has exceeded the forecasts, reaching 571 flights. It's a three-fold increase compared to the International Investment Forum held in Sochi in mid-September when over 200 business jets were handled.

October 9-10 was the airport's peak arrivals as the guests and spectators of the races were flocking to Sochi. Over 6,600 passengers onboard 64 arriving flights were served on October 9. Some 7,000 passengers travelling by 49 Sochi-bound planes went through the airport on October 10. That being said, the airport welcomed over 13,600 onboard 113 flights during peak days on October 9-10.

October 12-13 marked the peak departures in the airport's operations. Over 11,200 passengers including 7,600 departing and 3,580 arriving ones went through the airport on October 12. A total of 138 flights including 35 international, 79 business and 20 charter ones left the airport on Sunday. On Monday, departures continued with 11,580 passengers leaving Sochi and only 3,545 arriving. The airport handled 197 flights including 22 international ones, 53 private jets and 45 charter flights.

The airport broke the records on passenger traffic on February 24, 2014 when 23,000 departing passengers went through the gateway following the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games.

Leonid Sergeyev, Basel Aero CEO: "Thanks to the Olympic experience, Sochi International Airport has successfully welcomed participants and guests of Russian F1 Grand Prix. Passenger lanes were split between the two sectors of domestic routes and an international airlines sector what saved the time for check-in and pre-flight procedures. Two air strips harbored the aircraft, a total of 10 telebridges served embarking and disembarking passengers."