Gelendzhik Airport Marks a Historic Return to Service After Three Years of Silence

The regional airport of Gelendzhik, located along the Black Sea coast, welcomed its first commercial flight on Friday, marking more than three years since it was closed due to airspace restrictions following Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine.

An Aeroflot Airbus A321 departed from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on Friday afternoon and arrived in Gelendzhik, situated in the tourist-centric Krasnodar region, at approximately 3:30 p.m. local time.

The landing of the passenger aircraft was celebrated with a ceremonial water salute from fire engines and a gathering of officials, media, and photographers.

Footage released by state media depicted the gray plane arriving at the small coastal airport, which has remained inactive since early 2022 when Russia halted civilian flights at airports in proximity to the conflict zone due to safety issues.

Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev described the airport’s reopening as a significant event for a tourist region that experiences a high influx of visitors, noting that around 400,000 individuals are currently vacationing in Krasnodar.

“Travelers can now explore new routes, and the logistics have become significantly more straightforward,” he posted on Telegram.

Earlier this month, Russia’s Transportation Ministry announced the reopening of Gelendzhik Airport but did not specify when operations would commence. A ministry representative, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned to pro-Kremlin media that the airport would only operate daytime flights.

Gelendzhik is the second regional airport in Russia to restart flights since the 2022 closures, with Elista Airport in the Kalmykia republic being the first to resume in May 2024 after being confirmed safe from Ukrainian drone threats.

While some airports remain closed, officials have suggested that they might reopen based on security circumstances. A test flight landed at Pashkovsky Airport in the Krasnodar region in December, but plans for resuming commercial services there have been quietly abandoned.

The airport’s newly updated terminal, which was completed just months before the onset of the war, cost 6 billion rubles (about $68 million) and covers nearly 17,000 square meters. It can accommodate up to 900 passengers per hour and over 1 million annually.

Designed by Italian architects Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas, Gelendzhik Airport’s terminal has been a highlight of the renovation project.