Katowice Airport invests in safety. New operations base now in use

A new Operations and Transport Department base has been launched at Katowice Airport, from which this year’s “Winter” operations are being carried out. The investment improves the airport’s operational safety and working conditions for technical staff. Its value amounts to nearly PLN 20 million net.

The new infrastructure has been built in the south-eastern part of Katowice Airport, in the immediate vicinity of the aircraft de-icing apron. The project included the construction of a two-storey administrative and social building with a floor area of 470 square metres, as well as a garage and workshop hall covering 2,294 square metres. The hall has been equipped with nine service bays designed for airport snow-removal vehicles.

The investment also covered accompanying infrastructure, including manoeuvring areas, internal roads, pavements and telecommunications installations. The main contractor was Budimex S.A., while the design of the new base was prepared by the Katowice-based cooperative design office Budoprojekt.

According to Artur Tomasik, President of the Management Board of Górnośląskie Towarzystwo Lotnicze S.A., the launch of the new base is an important element strengthening the airport’s safety and operational efficiency. The investment provides staff with modern working conditions and ensures that specialised equipment has appropriate technical facilities.

The Operations and Transport Department plays a key role in maintaining operational safety within the restricted area of the airport. It is responsible for ensuring the full operational readiness of the airfield, including the runway, taxiways and aircraft stands. The department conducts winter operations and is also responsible for maintaining grassed areas across the airport. To carry out these tasks, it uses specialised equipment such as airport snow-removal machines, rotary ploughs, sprinklers and high-performance mowing units.

The construction of the new base for pavement maintenance services is one of the projects completed as part of the Katowice Airport infrastructure expansion programme for 2024–2032. The largest undertaking within this programme is the planned construction of a main passenger terminal together with accompanying infrastructure, including a new road layout, an intermodal transport hub and a link between the terminal and the Pyrzowice Airport railway station. A technical dialogue is currently underway to select the terminal designer, with the signing of the contract planned for mid-2026.

At the same time, investment projects with a total value of approximately PLN 200 million are being implemented. The largest of these, with expenditure of around PLN 130 million, is the construction of a multimodal cargo and fuel transshipment hub based on a railway siding. This project has received EUR 10.1 million in funding from the European Union under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2021–2027 Military Mobility programme. Construction is also underway on a fourth aircraft maintenance hangar and the second stage of the expansion of the P4 surface car park. All of these investments are scheduled for completion this year.

In addition, in 2026 GTL S.A. plans to launch further investment projects. These include the expansion of passenger terminal C, subsequent stages of surface car park construction, as well as the selection of a contractor for a new Airport Fire and Rescue Service station, a second cargo terminal and a new aircraft de-icing apron for runway 08.

Katowice Airport is among the largest regional airports in Poland. In 2025, it handled a record 7.3 million passengers. The forecast for 2026 assumes service for approximately 7.9 million travellers, which would be the best result in the airport’s history. The Wojciech Korfanty International Airport is the national leader in the charter traffic segment and one of the largest cargo airports in Poland.