Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  Shakhrisabz Airport has officially resumed passenger flights, according to the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.

The airport has undergone extensive renovations, including the refurbishment of the existing passenger terminal building, a major overhaul of the runway and taxiways, as well as upgrades to the infrastructure, engineering communications, and meteorological flight equipment.

The first flight, operated by Silk Avia, landed at Shakhrisabz Airport at 13:10 local time. The flight from Tashkent lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes.

According to Uzbekistan Airports, the L410 aircraft was welcomed with a water arch, and the arriving passengers were greeted with a warm reception accompanied by traditional sounds of the karnai-surna (a type of musical instrument). Air service to Shakhrisabz has resumed after nearly 21 years of hiatus, with the airport having been closed in November 2003.

The current airport, located 5 km southwest of Shakhrisabz, was originally opened in 1983. From 1983 to 1996, flights between Tashkent and Shakhrisabz operated four times a week in summer and three times a week in autumn and winter, with additional flights twice a week from Urgench to Shakhrisabz. Between 1993 and 1995, flights were also conducted on the Tashkent-Karshi-Shakhrisabz route. The airport previously hosted flights on Antonov An-2, An-24, Yakovlev Yak-40, and RJ-85 aircraft.

Today, the airport is equipped with the necessary facilities to support civil aviation. The terminal building has a capacity of 100 passengers per hour. The airfield features a runway 1554 meters long and 35 meters wide, two aircraft parking spots, and four helicopter pads. It is capable of accommodating ATR-42, ATR-72, L-410 aircraft, and all types of helicopters.