Meghri Airport

The closure was due to a combination of economic and geopolitical factors. With the dissolution of the USSR, the state-subsidized model for regional air travel became economically unviable. Furthermore, the escalating conflict in the region made civilian air operations in this sensitive border area unsafe and impractical.

The airport is defunct and abandoned. The single asphalt runway is still visible on satellite imagery but is in a state of significant disrepair and is unusable for aviation. There is no remaining airport infrastructure, such as a terminal or control tower. Due to its highly strategic location on the border with Iran, the territory is under the control of the Armenian Ministry of Defense and is considered a military-controlled site, though it is not an active airbase.

During the Soviet era, Meghri Airport served as a vital regional airfield connecting the remote, mountainous southern part of the Armenian SSR with the capital, Yerevan. It primarily handled small passenger and cargo aircraft, such as the Yakovlev Yak-40 and Antonov An-2. The airport was crucial for transporting people, mail, medical supplies, and other essential goods, significantly reducing travel time over challenging terrain.

There are no concrete, funded plans for the immediate reopening of Meghri Airport. However, its reconstruction has been a topic of discussion among Armenian officials, particularly in the context of developing the Syunik Province and the Meghri Free Economic Zone. The idea is to create a second airport in the south to enhance strategic transport links, especially with Iran. For now, the Armenian government's focus has been on the successful reconstruction and operation of the Syunik Airport (formerly Kapan Airport), which reopened in 2023. Any potential development at Meghri is considered a long-term, strategic possibility rather than an active project.