New airfield in Georgia’s Tusheti region serves first passengers

Georgia continues to develop its rural aviation infrastructure by injecting new life into several of the country’s old airports to improve access to hard-to-reach areas.

First, the Ambrolauri airfield in Racha region was upgraded, and now Omalo airfield has started to receive its first passengers.

This old airfield is located in Omalo village, in Georgia’s historical Tusheti region, which is considered a gem of Georgia in terms of its spectacular cultural heritage.

The helicopter will serve locals as well as border guards. Photo by Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs. 

The village lies between the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and the Pirikita Range of Tusheti and is reasonably hard to reach, with snow limiting access in the winter during six months.

The road leading to the region, which is included among the world’s most dangerous roads, is currently under rehabilitation. To allow for easier access to the Tusheti region from other parts of Georgia, the air service has begun.

This week already the first passengers – 17 people – arrived from the village Alvani to the village Omalo by a helicopter provided by Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.

From now on the helicopter will fly to Omalo once in a week and will serve locals as well as border guards.

The air service began this week to allow for easier access to the Tusheti region from other parts of Georgia. Photo by Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs. 

This will be a big relief for Tusheti population,” said Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. He added, "Tusheti is isolated from the rest of Georgia during the six months. This helicopter will serve first of all the border guards and also people living in Tusheti.”

Developing airfields in Omalo and Ambrolauri was part of Georgia’s Spatial Arrangement Plan that would modernise infrastructural development in the country.

In 2015 a group of specialists from the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency (GCAA) studied the conditions of Georgia’s inactive airfields, heliport and runways located in different parts of the country. As a result, the GCAA found four airfields had the potential for revival.

The four airfields earmarked for upgrades were Ingiri, Omalo, Chikhareshi and Ambrolauri airfields. Currently, Omalo and Ambrolauri have been upgraded.