Abay Bazar Airport

Primarily economic reasons. The airport was part of the Soviet Union's extensive, state-subsidized local air services network (MVL - Mestnyye Vozdushnyye Linii) operated by Aeroflot. After the independence of Kazakhstan, this centrally-funded system became economically unviable. The transition to a market economy, the decline of collective farms that used agricultural aviation services, and the development of road transport made the airfield obsolete. There was no longer sufficient passenger or cargo demand to sustain operations.

The airport is abandoned and in a state of decay. Satellite imagery clearly shows a single asphalt runway, approximately 1,500 meters in length, which is cracked, weathered, and overgrown with vegetation in places. The apron and any associated buildings are derelict or have been dismantled. The site is not used for any aviation purposes and is completely inactive. It may be used informally by locals for driving or as open land.

Abay Bazar Airport was a typical local airfield of the Soviet era, serving the Saryagash District of what was then the Chimkent Oblast (now Turkistan Region). Its primary functions included:

1. **Passenger and Mail Transport:** It connected the rural population of Abay and surrounding villages with the regional capital, Shymkent (then Chimkent), and other district centers. These routes were vital for transportation in a region with less developed road infrastructure at the time. Operations were likely carried out using aircraft like the Antonov An-2, and possibly the Let L-410 or Yakovlev Yak-40.

2. **Agricultural Aviation:** This was a critical role. The region is known for its agriculture, particularly cotton and grain. An-2 aircraft based at or visiting the airfield would have been used extensively for crop dusting (aerial application of pesticides and fertilizers).

3. **Medical and Emergency Services:** The airport served as a base for air ambulance (Sanaviatsiya) flights, providing rapid medical evacuation from a remote area to larger hospitals.

In essence, it was a vital piece of infrastructure for the planned Soviet economy, integrating a rural agricultural area into the regional and national system.

There are no known official plans or realistic prospects for reopening Abay Bazar Airport. The economic and logistical reasons for its original existence are no longer present. The regional transportation needs are met by an improved road network and the major international airport in nearby Shymkent (IATA: CIT). The cost to refurbish the runway, build new infrastructure, and acquire modern navigation aids would be substantial, with no foreseeable demand to justify the investment. The site will likely remain abandoned.