The airport of Bratsk is the second transport hub in the region after Irkutsk in terms of the flow of air passengers. It is located near the city of the same name. The company has established itself well and two years ago was popular among domestic tour operators.
Historical reference
The decision to build an air transport hub near the city of Bratsk was made in September 1941. However, construction began later, and the airport began to operate only in July 1956. Regular passenger flights were launched only in September of the same year along the Bratsk-Irkutsk route. In 1957, regular flights with Moscow were opened.
The volume of traffic increased significantly after the construction of the Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station began. From 1960 to 1961, passenger traffic increased almost 4 times - up to 112 thousand. In 1964, an air squad was created at the airport. In 1975, the airfield began to receive large aircraft such as Tu-154 and Yak-40.
By 1987, a program was developed to develop the infrastructure and airfield complex of the enterprise. And from 1988 to 1989, Bratsk (airport) provided services for all air transportation in the region in connection with the reconstruction of the Irkutsk airport. By 1995, a new runway was built that meets international standards, after which the airport received international status. At this time, international air cargo service begins. Passenger international charter flights began to be carried out only in 2012. However, international air service was closed two years later.
Airfield and airport complex
The terminal building is a two-story building. On the ground floor there is a passenger waiting room and registration, cafe. On the second floor there is a dining room.
There is not a single ATM or exchange point in the entire airport terminal. There is no Internet access either.
Not far from the airport there is an economy class hotel "AeroBratsk". Usually transit passengers or those whose flight is delayed stop here.
The airfield has one cement concrete runway. Its dimensions are 3.16 km in length and 0.06 km in width.
Interesting Facts
In the Soviet period, the airport of Bratsk twice served air transportation of national importance. The first time was in 1959, when William Harriman, a well-known statesman and industrialist from the USA, visited the city. The second time - when Fidel Castro arrived on an official visit to Bratsk.
Accepted aircraft types
The airfield complex is designed to receive and send modifications of airliners:
- "An" - 2, 12, 24, 26, 30, 72, 74, 124, 140;
- "Il" - 76, 86, 96, 114;
- “Tu” - 134, 154, 204;
- “Yak” - 40, 42;
- “Airbus” - 319, 320, 310;
- Boeing - 737, 747, 757;
- "ATR-42";
- "L-101";
- all types of helicopters.
Route network, airlines
Bratsk (airport) serves regular flights of air carriers:
- "Angara";
- KrasAvia
- Yakutia
- S7.
The route network of the airport includes the following cities:
- Moscow (Domodedovo);
- Irkutsk
- Novosibirsk
- Khabarovsk
- Krasnoyarsk (Emelyanovo and Cheremshanka);
- Yakutsk
Bratsk Airport: how to get
The only possible transportation for the trip to the airport is a taxi. You can also use your own car. There is parking nearby.
Back in 1992, public transport stopped running between the city and the airport complex. After that, attempts were made to organize a separate commercial route, but it was closed due to low passenger traffic. Also, the reason for the small volume of traffic lies in the lack of informing residents of the city and transport agencies about the existence of this route. In this regard, the city administration considered that the route was unclaimed. Even in the near future, transport links cannot be restored.
Bratsk (airport): prospects
Today, the annual passenger flow is just over 100,000. Specialists of the enterprise consider this volume to be peak, since it is not possible to increase it.
Now flights are made in six domestic directions. At the end of 2014, international air traffic with Turkey and Thailand was closed.
In the near future, it is planned to create the largest cargo transport complex from the current airport, since this approach is the most promising, according to experts. The volume of freight is planned to increase six times.
The creation of a logistics center was planned back in 2008. But only now this issue has been dealt with closely. It is assumed that the transport hub will serve cargo transportation to the northern regions of Russia, as well as some Asian countries.
Bratsk is the second most important airport in the Irkutsk region. He is able to receive almost all modern types of aircraft and helicopters. International flights have not been operated for almost two years now. But soon it will become one of the largest logistics air transport hubs in Siberia. Reconstruction and purchase of new equipment are provided at the expense of funds allocated from the state budget.