TBILISI, January 21 – Plans to build a new international airport near the village of Vaziani are increasingly in doubt after Georgia agreed to a major expansion of Tbilisi International Airport, an aviation expert says.
Aviation analyst Iase Zautashvili told BPN that the planned USD 150 million investment in Tbilisi’s existing airport makes the construction of a second airport near Vaziani highly unlikely.
Georgia recently extended its airport management contract with TAV Georgia, a subsidiary of Groupe ADP, until 2031. Under the agreement, TAV Georgia is expected to invest USD 150 million in upgrading Tbilisi International Airport over the coming years.
Zautashvili said it would make little sense for a company to pour that level of money into modernizing the current airport and then leave the market just a few years later. The planned upgrades include terminal expansion, additional gates, runway modernization and improved passenger services.
The Vaziani airport project was first floated several years ago and welcomed by many as a long-term solution to Georgia’s aviation bottlenecks. Officials had said construction could begin in 2027, with the airport opening by 2031. Earlier timelines had even suggested a 2028 completion.
According to official statements, the new airport was expected to raise Georgia’s passenger capacity to 18 million travelers per year. Georgia currently lags behind regional neighbors such as Turkey and Azerbaijan in airport infrastructure, a gap the Vaziani project was meant to close.
Zautashvili said the more realistic scenario now is that TAV Georgia remains in the country for the long term, especially if the current airport upgrade goes ahead as planned. He added that while better passenger services at Tbilisi International Airport are welcome, the site has physical limits, including restricted runway extension options due to surrounding terrain.
Officials have not announced any changes to the Vaziani airport timeline yet.
