The 2014 Winter Olympics is to be held in Sochi, Russia. If you are planning to go up there, then these are a few tips.
Things to know About Getting There
1. Tanker Fuel.
Sochi International Airport normally handles just about 75 aircraft movements each day. For the period of the 2014 Winter Olympics, however, the airport will handle approximately 200 movements a day.
“Clients should be aware that the level of service will not be what they’re used to,” said Jerry Banks, manager of the Echo and Large Aircraft Teams and Team Europe at Universal Aviation and Weather in Houston, TX. “There is no fuel farm there, so the airport authority, which is acting as the service provider, is bringing in additional fuel trucks.”
In addition, most business aircraft will be limited to 30 or 60 minutes on the ground as they offload passengers and get ready to head to their next destination as part of their “drop-and-go” operations.
2. Have Alternative Plans.
With practically no parking available for general aviation aircraft at Sochi International Airport, Banks emphatically suggested having more than one destination for diverting or for parking. Even Istanbul, Turkey, which is often known as a demanding destination for business aircraft operators, is being used as an alternate, said Banks.
3. Have the right visa.
“Because most business flights will be of the ‘drop-and-go’ variety, a single-entry visa will likely be insufficient for flight crews,” Banks said. “You’ll need a multi-entry visa.” While the Russian government has promised expedited handling of visa requests, she suggested making both visa and slot applications as early as possible.
Things to Know Once on the Ground
The U.S. State Department has issued a travel alert for Americans who are headed to Sochi, asking them to be watchful about security, although at this point, officials said there are no exact threats related to Americans attending the games.
1. Have proper ID at all times.
Russian security officials have constantly warned that visitors to the Olympics will be stopped numerous times during each day for security checks. “If you don’t have proper identification, you could be detained,” said Jones.
2. Organize trips between Olympic venues.
Jones said there will be heavy traffic between the shore and the mountains , and ground transportation to each venue will likely be crowded. She recommended careful planning between each site, with transportation vouchers purchased in advance .
3. Keep a low profile.
Jones recommended U.S. citizens forego wearing patriotic clothing or anything that identifies them by nationality.