Shirak Airport Reopens with Flights to Europe Planned

The Shirak Airport in Gyumri has reopened today for arrivals and departures after undergoing planned renovations that began on July 15, which involved complete repairs of the runway and the construction of an arrival hall. This was reported by Armenian Times.

This evening, the airline Pobeda will conduct the first flight. To cut the ribbon and review the completed works, Deputy Prime Minister Suren Papikyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan, and representatives from Armenia International Airports were present in Gyumri.

The total investment made in Shirak Airport amounts to approximately $7.5 million, of which $1.5 million was allocated for the construction of the arrival hall, and the remaining funds were used for the runway repairs. The investments were made by the Armenia International Airports.

The old arrival hall has expanded from 400 square meters to 870 square meters. The previous inconveniences faced by passengers have become a thing of the past. There are 8 counters for passport control and a baggage carousel located in this section.

The new arrival hall allows for one flight to be serviced within an hour, and more if necessary. The airport's runway has a length of 3,220 meters and a width of 45 meters. It was last repaired in 2007. Over the past 14 years, cracks and serious damages had developed. A new drainage system has also been installed. The work was carried out under a three-year warranty service contract.

After cutting the ribbon, the officials toured the airport, with Deputy Prime Minister Suren Papikyan inspecting every corner, literally not leaving out the bathrooms. In response to a question from journalists about his detailed inspection, Papikyan candidly stated that he had been working closely with the builders recently, making it a habit to ensure that nothing odd or problematic existed.

"I have been here before and I remember the condition. I am satisfied with the work done. I believe that Gyumri Airport will become a very important destination for both tourists and a significant factor for Gyumri's development," Papikyan confidently stated.

There is also a possibility that flights from Gyumri Shirak Airport to Europe will be conducted. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Gyumri Airport is currently desirable for everyone due to its pricing policy and other factors. Now everything needs to be done to make it even more appealing.

Sergey Avetisyan, General Manager of Armenia International Airports, expressed hope that Gyumri Airport would maintain its previous activity. "The investments made by our company at the airport indicate that we see a future for airport development. The airport should certainly have its competitive advantages, and from our perspective, it should serve as our country’s secondary airport, focusing on attracting budget airlines," Avetisyan stated.

Currently, many airlines, including Aeroflot, are expected to operate flights. The presence of this airline is considered precedent-setting for this airport.

"In the near future, we expect good numbers since we are negotiating with airlines, proposing both Gyumri's Shirak and Zvartnots. The only issue in our sector is the unpredictability caused by pandemic-related challenges. This is the case worldwide," Avetisyan added.

It is noted that there had been discussions about converting Shirak into a military airport to accept military aircraft. According to Sergey Avetisyan, this issue is being brought up for unclear reasons. "The airport has been, is, and continues to be a civil aviation airport. There is an appropriate government decision that has not been changed, and it is unclear why this topic is being circulated," Avetisyan said.