Domodedovo Airport for Sale: Buyers and Passenger Expectations
Moscow«s Domodedovo Airport is being sold after it was confiscated for state revenue. The starting price is 132 billion rubles (approximately $1.5 billion at current rates), and the airport»s debt is nearly 70 billion rubles (about $780 million). The lot has even been posted online on a classified ads website, and the auction for the sale of the seized airport Domodedovo is scheduled for 15:00 MSK on January 20.
Vitaly Vantsev, co-owner of Vnukovo Airport, is ready to invest in Domodedovo — he has spoken about this publicly. Who else can buy the hub, why it is needed, and what it means for passengers — MSK1.RU correspondent investigated together with experts and the former airport owner.
What is happening with the airport
Businessman Anton Bakov, a former State Duma deputy who owned this airport in the 1990s, suggested that the nationalization and subsequent sale of Domodedovo is an opportunity for the state to «get money out of thin air.»
«It»s clear that in this case the price for such an asset will be corresponding. The starting $1.5 billion — let«s say, is a small price. Since 2011 [when the airport was valued at $5 billion] Moscow has not become poorer, so perhaps someone will buy it cheaply,» Bakov told MSK1.RU.
Civil aviation expert and editor-in-chief of Avia.ru portal Roman Gusarov recalled that the previous airport owners were withdrawing money abroad, so the property was seized and assets frozen.
«All our airports have been transferred to private hands. The state retains the runway, navigation equipment — everything on the airfield, but not the passenger infrastructure. For an airport, a private investor is always more efficient than a state one,» the expert says. «They will better organize operations, earn more, and pay more taxes.»
According to him, the airport business is generally profitable, and Domodedovo is a «tasty morsel.»
Who will buy Domodedovo
Anton Bakov found it difficult to guess who would want to acquire Domodedovo. He fully admits that it could be a state structure.
«I understand if an oligarch woke up and said: »I want to be the mistress of the sea.« But to come into such a rather broken tub, when you have already achieved something, well, it»s tough to change your life and take on new risks, which everyone has enough of anyway,« the entrepreneur reasoned.
Aviation expert Roman Gusarov thinks otherwise. He says Domodedovo could be bought by «Novaport Holding,» «Airports of Regions,» or the «Aerodinamika» holding.
«Novaport Holding» is the largest network of regional airports in Russia. It manages 28 airports located across the country: from Kaliningrad to Magadan.
«Airports of Regions» is a holding company that controls 10 airports. They are located in Yekaterinburg, Samara, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and other cities.
«Aerodinamika» is also a large holding managing three airports in Krasnodar Krai.
«Sheremetyevo is unlikely, but the owners of Vnukovo have quite serious capabilities. If the Federal Antimonopoly Service says there are no problems, Vnukovo will be allowed to bid,» he added.
Executive director of the AviaPort agency Oleg Panteleev also does not believe in Sheremetyevo owners« interest in buying.
«Sheremetyevo has a larger passenger flow than both competitors (Vnukovo and Domodedovo — Ed.) combined. If they buy Domodedovo, how will they load the new asset? And this despite Sheremetyevo operating far from 100% capacity. It»s more reasonable to attract airlines to themselves rather than split the business,« he said.
The interlocutor considered the starting cost of Domodedovo impressive and reminded of the debt burden of 70 billion rubles. He also suggested that most potential bidders will not be able to close the deal independently.
«A consortium may be formed, including a qualified airport operator, a financial institution, a fuel operator. One cannot rule out a turn of events where no bids are made at the proposed price, then we will have to wait for a new tender with a reduced starting price,» the interlocutor stated.
What will change for passengers
In Anton Bakov«s opinion, nothing will change for passengers, no matter who becomes the new airport owner. Tickets, according to the entrepreneur, will become more expensive regardless of this, because everything around is rising in price.
At the same time, he admits the risk that a «shake-up» will occur at the airport and new employees will have to adapt.
Aviation expert Roman Gusarov agrees that for passengers, everything will remain the same. Oleg Panteleev thinks so too.
«For ordinary passengers, of course, it doesn»t matter who exactly buys. The main thing is that the new owner manages to build relationships with airlines, not lose those already working with the airport, and better yet — attract new partners,« he summarized.
Russian aviation as a whole is experiencing turbulent times: sanctions, airspace closure, search for new logistics chains, focus on import substitution — all this leaves its mark on air travel. 2026 is unlikely to be easy for the passenger transport market. Earlier, we spoke with experts and learned what awaits Russian aviation in the new year and what will happen with ticket prices.
