Vologda Air.

The airport deserves two stars just for being there. Everything else isn't worth a single point. The highlight was its opening at 7:00 AM, an hour before departure (not the usual two). Furthermore, when we were freezing near the entrance, an employee who arrived at 6:30 AM let all the airport staff in and declared, "Passengers aren't boarding yet!" And then another 20 minutes in the Vologda wind. And they're still apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the renovations... One can only hope that after the building's renovation, the airport's attitude toward passenger comfort and convenience will be "renovated" as well.

One could already say it's a historic building. But both the building itself and the surrounding area are very poorly maintained. And the situation with flights is also dire. The Vologda authorities themselves are unable to organize proper air service, and they're preventing others from entering the market. Runway reconstruction has been in discussion for many years.

A blast from the past. Modern amenities include hard chairs in the waiting room and security screening. Check-in begins an hour before departure. Boarding begins 40 minutes before departure. No advance travel necessary. There's no trash can in the lounge. There's no Wi-Fi.

Thank you for a wonderful flight. To the crew of flight RA 88188. I've never encountered such professionalism from any major airline. The flight attendant was polite and friendly. The pilots guided and landed the plane so smoothly and seamlessly. I only found out about the landing when the flight attendant announced that we had landed at Vologda Airport. Thank you so much again.

It doesn't matter why you're going to Vologda, it matters how you fly. Perhaps not everyone knows that, thanks to #VologdaAirEnterprise, you have the unique opportunity to fly on the #Yak40 from St. Petersburg and Moscow. It's the last airline in Russia to keep this aircraft type on regular passenger routes. Where else can you fly on such an artifact, 42 (!) years old? Climbing the rear ramp into the dim cabin with the faint smell of kerosene and old upholstery, you start a time machine – you're seven years old again, the USSR is indestructible, and everything is still ahead. In 2019, you could say about the plane that it's besieged, but not broken: yes, it's worn and worn, but who isn't worn out by the age of 42? It hums smoothly and flies comfortably, and you'll be offered tea, water, juice, and caramels during the flight. Vologda Airport also follows the retro trend. Telephone booths, a "Snack Bar" sign with a Soviet-era display case, and scales—the very same ones! I'm pitching a business idea: just as Russian Railways launched a regular retro steam train to attract tourists on the Bologoye-Ostashkov section, visiting Kuzhenkino station, recreated to the standards of the steam locomotive era, everything here is ripe for creating a weekend program "In the Footsteps of Soviet Aviation." P.S. Fly before it's too late. It's not expensive/scary (cross out as applicable).