New owner of Domodedovo Airport is a competitor
The acquisition of Domodedovo Airport by a Sheremetyevo affiliate was completed through an auction.
The Sheremetyevo structure LLC «Perspektiva» has become the owner of Moscow«s Domodedovo Airport. This is reported by RBC and Vedomosti, citing sources. After the information appeared in the media, it was updated on the auction website.
As sources told, the final price dropped from 132 billion to 66 billion rubles (approximately $940 million at current rates). According to the auction terms, the purchase agreement will be formalized within five working days after the results are summarized.
An expert in civil aviation and the chief editor of the portal Avia.ru, Roman Gusarov, in a conversation with MSK1.RU, pointed out that this is only about winning the auction; the airport has not been purchased yet. If it is indeed acquired by the «daughter» of Sheremetyevo, the deal will need to go through the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS).
“Most likely, this will not be considered monopolization, but it could be viewed as a dominant position in the market. And with such status, regulatory intervention by the state is implied. FAS will have the right to intervene to, for example, prevent tariff overcharging,” said Gusarov.
The expert considers Domodedovo a profitable asset.
“The airport business is profitable. Where even half a million passengers — the airport is profitable, and Moscow airports, where there are tens of millions in each, are of course very profitable,” he said.
Updated. The general director of Sheremetyevo, Mikhail Vasilenko, guaranteed the Domodedovo staff stable work and pay, social protection, and job preservation. According to him, the acquired airport is a “business project aimed at improving an important part of the Moscow aviation hub.”
“Our position is transparent, responsible, and verified. At the same time, it is important to understand the burden that this facility carries. Domodedovo Airport is an extremely complex facility with chronic problems, high risks, significant debt load, and losses,” the Sheremetyevo press service conveys Vasilenko«s words.
Domodedovo was attempted to be sold twice; the first auction did not take place because only one participant applied, and they were not admitted.
The airport has a complicated fate. In 2025, it was nationalized due to claims by the Prosecutor General«s Office against former owners Dmitry Kamenshchik, Valery Kogan, and a number of companies.
