Fraport Consortium Preferred Bidder in St. Pete...

FRANKFURT, Germany, June 25 /PRNewswire/ --

    - Pulkovo Airport: Gateway to Russia's Second Largest Metropolis and a 
Popular Tourist Destination



    Fraport AG is well positioned to assume the responsibility for
operating Pulkovo Airport, Russia's fourth largest airport, beginning in
2010. As part of the international tender process, the City of St. Petersburg
(the current owner and operator of Pulkovo Airport) today announced that the
Northern Capital Gateway consortium - in which Fraport holds a 35.5 percent
share - is the preferred bidder. Thus, the Fraport consortium has edged out
the two other competing consortia. "We are optimistic to be awarded the
contract following the final negotiations," said Fraport AG's executive board
chairman Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Bender in St. Petersburg. "Using our
internationally recognized expertise we want to operate and expand Pulkovo
Airport in a continuously growing Russian air transportation market. Pulkovo
is the main transportation junction in one of Russia's most popular tourist
regions."



    The 30-year concession contract for developing, modernizing
and operating the airport in Russia's second largest metropolis is expected
to be inked by the end of the 2009. Phase one of the concession will focus on
constructing a brand new passenger terminal, expanding ramp areas, developing
real estate, and modernizing the existing airport infrastructure.



    Fraport's partners in the project are VTB, Russia's second
largest financial institute, and Copelouzos Group, a Greek business and
investment conglomerate. Fraport will serve as the airport operator at
Pulkovo Airport, applying its decades of know-how gained at Frankfurt Airport
and around the globe.



    Russia's fourth largest aviation gateway after the three
Moscow airports, Pulkovo Airport (http://www.pulkovoairport.ru/eng) welcomed
7.1 million passengers in 2008 and registered continuous passenger growth
during the past few years. Located about 20 kilometers from downtown St.
Petersburg. Pulkovo Airport (IATA airport code = LED) features two
independent runways for takeoffs and landings as well as one domestic and one
international passenger terminal.



    Scheduled and charter airlines link Pulkovo Airport with
approximately 230 destinations. With a population of about 5 million people
and some 3.5 million tourists last year, St. Petersburg is well on its way to
becoming one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations 
(http://eng.gov.spb.ru).



    Print-quality photos of Frankfurt Airport and Fraport AG are
available free for downloading via the Internet at http://www.fraport.com
(Menu: select Press Center > then Photo Service). For TV news and information
broadcasting purposes only, we also offer free footage material for
downloading via http://fraport.cms-gomex.com.


    
    For Further information, Please Contact:

    Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide,
    Robert A. Payne, B.A.A. - Manager International Press,
    Press Office (Dept. UKM-PS), Corporate Communications (UKM),
    60547 Frankfurt am Main, Federal Republic of Gemany,
    Tel.: [phone]; Fax: [phone];
    E-mail: [e-mail]; Internet: http://www.fraport.com