Rubtsovsk Airport

The closure was due to profound economic reasons following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The centralized, state-subsidized aviation model collapsed, leading to the fragmentation of Aeroflot into smaller regional airlines. These new entities struggled with profitability, high operating costs, and aging aircraft. The sharp decline in industrial output from Rubtsovsk's factories led to a collapse in passenger demand, making the airport financially unsustainable to operate and maintain.

The airport is completely abandoned and in a state of severe disrepair. Satellite imagery and local reports show that the runway is heavily cracked, with significant vegetation growth, rendering it unusable for any aviation purposes. The terminal building and other airport infrastructure are derelict and decaying. The site has been known to be used unofficially for local events, including car shows and illegal street/drag racing, taking advantage of the long, straight pavement of the former runway.

During the Soviet era, Rubtsovsk Airport was an important regional transportation link for the industrial city of Rubtsovsk in the Altai Krai. Its primary function was to connect the city with the regional capital, Barnaul, and other major Siberian hubs like Novosibirsk. The airport handled both passenger and cargo traffic, which was vital for the city's large industrial enterprises, most notably the Altai Tractor Plant. Operations were typically conducted using small regional aircraft common in the USSR, such as the Antonov An-2, Let L-410 Turbolet, and the Yakovlev Yak-40 jet.

The possibility of reconstructing and reopening Rubtsovsk Airport has been raised periodically by local and regional authorities over the past decade as a potential driver for economic development and improved transport accessibility. However, there are no concrete, funded plans for its revival. The main obstacles remain the same: the extremely high cost of rebuilding the runway, terminal, and navigation systems from scratch, coupled with uncertainty about whether there would be sufficient passenger demand to justify the investment and ensure long-term operational viability. As of now, the reopening of the airport remains a speculative and distant prospect.