Ala Buka Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons. After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the extensive system of state-subsidized local air travel became financially unsustainable. The newly independent Kyrgyzstan lacked the resources to maintain and operate its large network of small airfields. A sharp decline in passenger traffic, the high cost of fuel and maintenance, and the aging of the Soviet-era aircraft fleet (mostly Antonov An-2s) made routes to remote locations like Ala Buka unprofitable, leading to its abandonment.

The airport is completely defunct and abandoned. Satellite imagery of the coordinates reveals the faint but visible outline of a single dirt or gravel runway. The site has no remaining aviation infrastructure such as a terminal, hangars, or control tower. The land appears to have been partially reclaimed for agricultural use, including livestock grazing, and the former runway is in a state of severe disrepair.

During the Soviet era, Ala Buka Airport served as a vital local air link for the remote and mountainous Ala-Buka District in the Jalal-Abad Region. It was part of the vast Aeroflot network, providing essential passenger, mail, and light cargo services. Operations were typically conducted using rugged and versatile aircraft like the Antonov An-2, which were capable of landing on short, unpaved airstrips. The airport played a crucial role in connecting the local population to regional administrative centers, overcoming the challenges of difficult land-based transportation in the region.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for the reopening of Ala Buka Airport. Although the government of Kyrgyzstan has periodically discussed reviving its internal aviation network to improve connectivity to remote regions, these plans have focused on larger, more strategically important regional airports like those in Naryn, Kazarman, and Karakol. Given the significant investment required and the lack of inclusion in any current national development or infrastructure projects, the reopening of the Ala Buka airfield is highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.