Sarkand Airport

The primary reason for closure was economic. With the end of the Soviet Union, the centralized state funding and operational structure of Aeroflot, which managed all civilian aviation, disappeared. The newly independent Republic of Kazakhstan faced a severe economic downturn and could not afford to subsidize the vast network of small, unprofitable regional airports. A sharp decline in passenger demand and the high cost of maintaining aircraft and infrastructure made the airport economically unviable.

The airport is currently abandoned and in a state of decay. Satellite imagery shows a single paved runway (approximately 1,600 meters) and taxiways that are still visible but are cracked, weathered, and overgrown with vegetation. There are no signs of any aviation activity. The former airport grounds are unused for any official purpose and may be informally used by locals for driving or grazing livestock. All terminal and support buildings, if any existed, are likely derelict or have been dismantled.

During the Soviet era, Sarkand Airport was a vital component of the regional transportation network in the Almaty Oblast. It primarily handled local and regional flights, connecting the town of Sarkand with the regional capital, Alma-Ata (now Almaty), and other district centers like Taldykorgan. Operations typically involved small, rugged Soviet-era aircraft such as the Antonov An-2, which served multiple purposes including passenger transport, mail delivery, cargo, medical evacuation (sanitary aviation), and agricultural services (crop dusting). The airport was crucial for providing connectivity to a relatively remote area where ground transportation was less efficient.

There are no known specific or funded plans for the reopening of Sarkand Airport. While the government of Kazakhstan has periodically announced national-level programs to revive local aviation and rebuild small regional airfields to boost tourism and economic connectivity (similar to the successful reconstruction of airports in Usharal and Urdzhar), Sarkand has not been publicly identified as a priority project. Any potential reopening would require a complete reconstruction of the runway, taxiways, and terminal infrastructure, representing a significant financial investment that currently lacks a clear economic justification.