Lachin Airport: Driving tourism, trade, regional development Gateway to revival and connectivity in Karabakh

Azerbaijan has long been a regional leader in the Caspian area when it comes to modern airport infrastructure in key regions of the country. A major focus has been the reconstruction and restoration of transport networks in territories recently liberated from occupation. Among the earliest milestones were the openings of the Fuzuli and Zangilan airports.

Looking ahead, plans are underway to renovate the Khojaly airfield in Karabakh. Most notably, on May 28 — coinciding with Azerbaijan’s Independence Day celebrations — the Lachin International Airport was officially inaugurated. The ceremony was marked by the presence of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, underscoring the airport’s significance for boosting tourism, trade, and overall development in the region.

On the eve of the opening, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey officially inaugurated Lachin Airport by cutting the ceremonial ribbon. The leaders of the two brotherly nations were presented with symbolic keys to the new international airport and given a tour of the facilities. They also reviewed the ongoing construction of the nearby Kalbajar-Lachin highway and inspected the products at the Azerbaijani-Turkish agricultural complex, Agropark Dost. The visit concluded with a private meeting between the two presidents.

Later that day, a summit took place in the city of Lachin, attended by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

“Today’s Summit is being held on Azerbaijan’s Independence Day, in Lachin, which was liberated from Armenian occupation. This has a great symbolic meaning,” said the President of Azerbaijan in his welcoming speech. He noted that the strategic location and dynamic economic potential of the three countries provide broad opportunities for mutual benefit. The head of state announced that Azerbaijan has invested $20 billion in Türkiye’s economy and is ready to invest $2 billion in Pakistan’s economy at the initial stage, with concrete investment projects currently being developed.

“As a result of the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, the energy map of not only our region but also the wider geography has changed. Our countries have played an important role in energy security, and today, extensive projects have been launched in the direction of alternative energy production and export,” President Ilham Aliyev stated. “Moreover, transport routes via Azerbaijan and Türkiye, which connect Asia and Europe, have strategic importance. We are confident that Pakistan’s growing engagement in this initiative, exemplified by the multimodal cargo route, will further boost our cooperation.”

Congratulating Azerbaijan on Independence Day, the leaders of Pakistan and Türkiye emphasised their solidarity and commitment to taking joint steps to address challenges in the areas of security, economy, energy, and food security. In particular, the President of Türkiye announced that the foreign ministries of the three countries have been tasked with taking measures to establish a structural framework to expand business cooperation between Ankara, Baku, and Islamabad, including the development of a joint agenda in trade, investment, transport, energy, the defense industry, and more.

“With the liberation of Azerbaijan’s lands, which had remained under occupation for 30 years, we would like to see this region become a centre of stability, prosperity and development. I believe that the Lachin Airport, which we inaugurated this morning, will make a significant contribution to the development and integration with the world,” said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the summit. 

Notably, the participation of the Turkish head of state in the inauguration of new airports in the Karabakh region has become a well-established tradition: in October 2021 and 2022, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took part in the official opening ceremonies of the Fuzuli and Zangilan airports, and now the new airport in Lachin.

The construction of Lachin International Airport began in 2021 and required extensive earthworks and engineering efforts in very challenging mountainous conditions. Located in the village of Gorchu in the Lachin district, at an altitude of 1,700 meters above sea level, the new airport occupies an area of 130 hectares. It is situated 30 km from the administrative centre of Lachin, 60 km from Kalbajar, and 70 km from the city of Shusha.

The airport features a modern, well-equipped terminal with a capacity of 200 passengers per hour, and a runway measuring 3,000 meters in length and 60 meters in width, capable of accommodating the largest aircraft. For passenger comfort, the terminal includes a VIP lounge, registration and security systems, baggage conveyors, retail outlets, and dining areas.

The Lachin Airport air traffic control tower is equipped with automated systems and manages flights in accordance with international safety standards and regulations. Recently, the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Ali Asadov, signed a decree granting Lachin Airport international status, bringing the total number of Azerbaijani airports capable of handling international air traffic to nine.

In Azerbaijan, state-level support is provided for the development of regional airports, especially in the territories liberated from occupation, and this direction is recognised as strategically important and aligned with the country’s security. The creation of an extensive aviation infrastructure in the southwest of Azerbaijan is driven by several objective factors: it will enable convenient and rapid transportation links with the rest of the world, becoming a vital transit element complementing the land routes of the under-construction Aras and the prospective Zangezur corridors.

The complex military-political situation in the region must not be overlooked, and having three airfields capable of receiving heavy military transport aircraft is an advantage that will never be superfluous.

Finally, without a well-developed short-haul aviation network, the mass arrival of foreign tourists — who are expected to become a key element in developing the recreational potential of the East Zangezur economic region — would simply be impossible.

“Lachin Airport, alongside its strategic significance, possesses considerable economic advantages. Lachin is one of the regions distinguished by its opportunities for winter, summer, medical, and cultural-historical tourism. This will allow for a rapid revival of economic activity here, creating the conditions for the effective operation of the strategically important Lachin Airport,” wrote Azerbaijani MP Vugar Bayramov on social media the day before the opening.

In particular, the picturesque nature and mountainous landscapes of the Lachin district are ideal for attracting both local and foreign tourists. To this end, seven parks are being developed in the city of Lachin, a recreational centre has been established on the banks of the Hakari River, and a 1,720-metre-long cable car is under construction. Additionally, in the vicinity of the administrative centre, in an area formerly known as Abdallar, ancient caves have been restored, and plans are underway to develop ethnographic and natural tourism destinations.

The arguments outlined above have prompted the government to invest tens of millions of manats in the construction of international airports in Fuzuli, Zangilan, and Lachin, including equipping them with advanced aeronautical navigation systems, automated aviation and meteorological monitoring equipment, and radar systems from leading global manufacturers, all in accordance with the safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Soon, plans are also underway to modernise and expand another airport in Khojaly. “Khojaly Airport holds symbolic significance for every Azerbaijani. I believe that at the next stage, following the resumption of its operations, it will join the ranks of our airports,” said Azerbaijani MP Hikmet Babaoglu recently during a parliamentary session.

Notably, extensive modernisation projects are planned to bring Khojaly Airport’s infrastructure up to international standards. Currently, the airport features a single runway measuring 2,170 meters in length and 45 meters in width, along with two taxiways, one apron, and one terminal. Following reconstruction, the runway will be extended to 3,000 meters in length and widened to 60 meters. In addition, upgrades to the air traffic control system and improvements to the terminal area are also planned.