"Minus 30 thousand": the postponement of the repairs at Pobedilovo hit the wallets of Kirov residents.

      The repair of the runway at Kirov's Pobedilovo airport continues to face problems. Kirov residents have encountered flight cancellations, lost money, and ruined vacations.

      Recall that earlier the airport closure dates were postponed first to June 20, then to June 30. Against this backdrop, many city residents who purchased tickets in advance found themselves in a state of uncertainty. The situation hit particularly hard those who planned summer vacations.

      According to a source from the editorial office, due to the shifts in repair timelines and flight cancellations, around 30,000 Kirov residents could be affected. This is not just about lost tickets. Many have prepaid for hotels, excursions, and vacation time at work cannot be rescheduled for many.

      "Burned" vouchers

      One reader told the editorial office that she bought airline tickets for the route Kirov - Sochi back on December 11. After the flight was canceled, she was refunded for the tickets, but they refused to return the amount spent on insurance. The vacation had to be completely restructured anyway: now the trip is planned through Moscow with a transfer and a day later.

      Initially, the round trip cost 29,070 rubles (Sochi - Kirov for 13,855 rubles and Kirov - Sochi for 15,215 rubles).

      After the changes, the route became significantly more expensive. Getting from Kirov to Moscow and back by RZD train costs 14,167 rubles one way and 13,716 rubles the other. A flight with the low-cost airline "Pobeda" on the route Moscow - Sochi and back adds another 30,304 rubles (13,005 rubles + 17,299 rubles). In total, the new route costs 58,187 rubles, and this does not include the transfer in Moscow, food expenses, and the time of forced waiting between transfers.

      As a result, the difference in cost compared to the original option amounted to an additional 29,117 rubles.

      How to get to the resorts now

      At the same time, it is possible to get from Kirov to Sochi now, but it won't be cheap or quick. We looked at how much the trip from Kirov to Sochi costs on a conditional date - June 24.

      The most obvious option is by train. However, the journey will take about two days and eight hours. Half of the vacation will have to be spent on the road, and the money spent on hotels for those dates will not be refunded. A ticket in a third-class sleeper costs about 7,800 rubles, and a compartment - from 8,700 rubles.

      A faster way is to go through Nizhny Novgorod. First, you need to get to "Lastochka" - this is almost five hours of travel and at least 1,600 rubles for a ticket. Then a transfer to a plane to Sochi. The flight takes about 2.5 hours, but prices start from 13,000 rubles. The main advantage of this route is a better chance of making it in time for the start of the vacation. But the total cost of the trip turns out to be significantly higher.

      There is also an option through Moscow. To the capital - about 15 hours by train. A third-class sleeper will cost about 3,800 rubles, and a compartment - from 4,100 rubles. After that, there is still a flight to Sochi - about four hours and at least 10,000 rubles for a ticket.

      Some are considering a trip by car. But that’s almost 2,500 kilometers of travel and about one and a half days behind the wheel. Just for gasoline, it will cost about 14,000 rubles. The calculations are based on an average fuel consumption of 8 liters per 100 kilometers and a gasoline price of 70 rubles per liter at the time of publication.

      Promised faster

      Meanwhile, the documents for the capital repair of the Pobedilovo airfield state that the work should be carried out continuously, and the total repair time for the runway is 540 calendar days. The work schedule also includes several stages of repairing the airfield infrastructure.

      But for ordinary passengers, all these formulations now boil down to one thing - the summer vacation for many is under threat.

      Recall that we have already reported how Kirov residents now have to get to Moscow and St. Petersburg without a functioning airport. Thus, before the repair began, it was possible to fly from Kirov to Moscow for about 4,500 rubles, and to St. Petersburg for 6,900 rubles. Now, however, people have to combine trains, buses, "Lastochkas," planes from neighboring cities, or even drive for almost a day.