Gelendzhik Airport has officially resumed operations, welcoming its first flight after a prolonged two-year closure. The air hub`s activities had been suspended in February 2022 due to security considerations, making its reopening a moment of significant joy and relief for both local residents and tourists.
The inaugural “Aeroflot” flight arriving from Moscow was met with immense enthusiasm. Passengers disembarked onto the tarmac under the flashing lights of television cameras, while a welcoming crowd waved balloons in the colors of the Russian tricolor, greeting the aircraft with applause and cheers of “hooray.” Many locals and visitors specifically gathered at an observation deck to witness this historic moment from a vantage point.
“I watched from the road to Golubaya Bukhta from above. I filmed the arrival itself and the water gates, the water arch that firefighters make when meeting the first flight at the airport. What was visible from my position was the delegation that met the plane, and a lot of people gathered at the observation deck to watch this event. They rejoiced, watched, filmed on their phones, clapped. For many, this is very important, as Gelendzhik`s accessibility will be more appealing, closer than Sochi, if we consider Krasnodar or Novorossiysk.”
The reopening sparked a true celebration in the resort town. Previously, reaching Gelendzhik often required traveling via Sochi, involving transfers and journeys of five to eight hours by bus or train. Alexander Emelyanov, art director of “Formula Club,” highlighted the positive impact on cultural events.
“For us, this is long-awaited news. Today is the first day, the first aircraft. I`m involved in concert activities, and artists always said they suffered greatly getting to our concerts. From today, it has become more accessible and possible. The welcome is festive and vibrant.”
Rosaviatsia granted permission for the airport`s reopening on July 10, 2024, after the airspace above Gelendzhik had been closed since February 24, 2022, for safety reasons. A significant investment of 6 billion rubles went into the completion of a new terminal in December 2021. The modernized airport is now capable of serving approximately 900 passengers per hour and over 1 million passengers annually.
“Aeroflot” has scheduled additional flights for July 20 and 23, with daily services set to commence from July 25. Other airlines, including “Ural Airlines,” Utair, and S7, will also resume flights from Moscow to Gelendzhik. “Smartavia” plans to launch flights from St. Petersburg in August. According to calculations by the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, Gelendzhik Airport could accommodate up to 50,000 tourists by the end of the summer, assuming the currently announced flight program is not expanded.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth