Irkutsk Airport — a short trip back to the 1990s

Irkutsk Airport feels like a movie set from the 1990s that nobody bothered to take down. The terminals are gloomy, the facade is tired, and the internal logistics are extremely inconvenient. This is the first thing thousands of travelers see when they fly to Lake Baikal. Honestly, it is hard not to feel embarrassed. The gateway to a strategic region still looks stuck in another era. For years, local authorities have talked about reconstruction and even a completely new airport complex, yet everything remains the same. And when regional leadership keeps changing to people with little long-term connection to the place, progress is always delayed. For a city that attracts around a million tourists, this is not an air hub - it is a reputational problem. The business lounge deserves a separate mention. The entrance says V.I.P., but in practice you get a 450-ruble voucher, outdated seating, and a group transfer bus with standard seats. P.S. This is my personal opinion based on my own travel experience.