Passengers of the first flight from St. Petersburg to Gelendzhik airport shared their emotions

On August 3, passengers of the first flight from St. Petersburg to the new Gelendzhik Airport shared their emotions with Izvestia.

"The airport has been opened, it is the most beautiful. We'll watch it live today. We are very glad that there is such an opportunity to fly to St. Petersburg," said passenger Vasily Lovlin in an interview with Izvestia correspondent Maxim Oblender.

It is noted that previously it was necessary to travel to Gelendzhik from St. Petersburg by car for more than a day. Or first to Novorossiysk by train, and from there by bus. Now it's 1,788 km in 4 hours and 55 minutes, and you're in a Black Sea resort.

"It's very convenient. No need to worry somewhere. Transplants, yes, transplants are always difficult. Therefore, we are very pleased that we have opened a direct flight," said Irina Kirillova.

The new airport building is a marvel of engineering and design thought. The facade is made of curved, durable glass. The airport is able to withstand even an 8-point earthquake. Inside there is a convenient baggage claim area, a waiting room, cafes and restaurants, a mother and child room, and a medical center.

There is even a full-fledged branch of Bank ROSSIYA. Joint-Stock Bank ROSSIYA and VTB Bank became the investors of this grandiose project.

In addition, 14 passengers were given a very pleasant gift in honor of the longest 14-kilometer embankment of the country, which is located in Gelendzhik — any flight of their choice.

"It was very unexpected. Because it is symbolic to be the fourteenth out of such a stream of people," admitted passenger Yana Dyakonova.

Flights from Kazan, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk will also start operating to Gelendzhik soon. There are about 10 flights a day in total.

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The new Gelendzhik Airport received its first flight from Moscow on July 18. The flight was performed on an aircraft in the Gzhel livery. The aircraft received this coloring in 2018, it was timed to coincide with the 95th anniversary of Aeroflot. The opening of the airport in Gelendzhik caused a stir among tourists, tickets for the first and next flights were sold out after the start of sales.

The governor of the Krasnodar Territory, Veniamin Kondratiev, said that Gelendzhik Airport will be able to increase passenger traffic at least twice in 2026. He noted that the passengers who arrived on the first flight from Moscow expressed positive emotions from the flight and their meeting at the airport.

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