Neftekamsk Airport

The closure was due to economic reasons. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, state subsidies for regional aviation were eliminated. This, combined with a decline in the population's purchasing power, made air travel prohibitively expensive for short-haul routes. The airport became unprofitable to maintain and operate as passenger traffic plummeted, with ground transportation (bus and rail) becoming a much cheaper alternative for travel to the regional capital, Ufa.

The airport is completely defunct for aviation purposes. The site has been repurposed into an 'autodrom' (driving circuit). The well-preserved runway is now used for driving schools, vehicle testing, and amateur motorsport events like drag racing and drifting. The former terminal and service buildings are largely abandoned, in a state of disrepair, or used for storage and administrative purposes for the current racetrack operations.

Opened in the 1960s, Neftekamsk Airport was a key transportation hub for the rapidly developing industrial and oil-producing city of Neftekamsk. It was an important element of the local air services within the Bashkir ASSR (now the Republic of Bashkortostan). The airport primarily handled passenger flights connecting Neftekamsk with the regional capital, Ufa, and other towns in the republic. Operations were conducted using typical Soviet regional aircraft, such as the Antonov An-2 and the Let L-410 Turbolet, which were well-suited for its short runway. It was vital for business travel, transporting oil industry workers, and providing a fast connection for the general public when road infrastructure was less developed.

Discussions to revive the airport have surfaced multiple times, most notably between 2019 and 2021. The government of the Republic of Bashkortostan has explored the possibility of reconstructing the airport as part of a federal program to develop regional aviation, aiming to improve connectivity for the large Neftekamsk industrial agglomeration. However, as of early 2024, these plans remain in the preliminary discussion phase with no concrete funding or timeline established. Major obstacles include the significant cost of rebuilding the infrastructure to modern standards capable of handling contemporary aircraft and proving the economic viability of the airport against established and more affordable ground transport links to the major airport in Ufa, located about 200 km away.