Following a request from Governor Eduard Rossel, Sverdlovsk Region Government looked into Koltsovo airport’s performance. The spokesperson for the Governor reports the passenger traffic volume grew by nearly 35% in 2007 against a year earlier, and more and more flights are getting delayed. This means that the number of passengers’ complaints has gone up as well. The airport serviced more than 13,200 flights, with the regularity of these flights estimated at 76.5%.

'The main reason for flights getting delayed is that the airplanes arrive at Koltsovo airport later than needed; the air carriers’ lack of extra planes is another factor. Then, there are bad weather conditions to take into account,’ says Koltsovo’s GD Kirill Shubin.

In addition, Head of Sverdlovsk Region Government Viktor Koksharov says the increase in the cargo traffic volume appears to be insufficient.