Ceadîr-Lunga Airfield

The airfield's closure is directly linked to the economic turmoil following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The centralized Soviet system, primarily through Aeroflot's regional divisions, heavily subsidized a vast network of small local airfields for agricultural and transport purposes. With the collapse of the USSR and Moldova's independence, this funding disappeared. The new economic reality made the operation of such small-scale airfields financially unsustainable. The decline in collective farming also reduced the demand for the agricultural aviation services that were the airfield's primary function.

The airfield is completely abandoned and in a state of decay. The single paved runway, while still clearly visible from satellite imagery, is cracked, weathered, and partially overgrown. There are no active aviation operations. The site is unenclosed and is sometimes used by local residents for informal activities like driving practice, car meets, or drag racing. The surrounding land has reverted to agricultural use, with fields bordering the old runway.

Ceadîr-Lunga Airfield was a typical Soviet-era local service airfield. Its primary and most significant role was supporting the region's intensive agriculture. Fleets of Antonov An-2 biplanes operated from the strip, conducting crop dusting, pest control, and fertilizing operations for the surrounding collective farms (kolkhozes). Additionally, it served as a minor hub in the local air service network (Местные воздушные линии - МВЛ), handling infrequent passenger and mail flights that connected the town to other regional centers and the capital, Chișinău. These flights provided a vital link in an era with less developed road infrastructure.

There are no credible or funded plans to reopen the original Ceadîr-Lunga Airfield (MD-0009). The infrastructure is too degraded and outdated to meet modern aviation standards. However, the authorities of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia (where Ceadîr-Lunga is located) have long pursued the goal of establishing a modern airport in the region. This ambition is now focused on the construction of a new, larger international airport near Comrat, the capital of Gagauzia. As political and financial efforts are directed towards the Comrat airport project, the prospect of reviving the small, derelict strip at Ceadîr-Lunga is effectively zero.