At the end of July, Turkmenabat International Airport welcomed an unusual aircraft: a wide-body IL-76TD-90VD transport aircraft with the tail number RA-76503 and the large inscription "ANTARCTICA" on the fuselage. The aircraft, owned by Akruks Airlines, is named after polar explorer Artur Nikolaevich Chilingarov. The plane made a technical landing and refueling at Turkmenabat Airport within the framework of a transcontinental flight that requires highly precise route planning and stopovers, according to the airport's social media post.

The crew chose Turkmenabat Airport as one of the key transit points. Considering that flights in the extreme conditions of the Arctic and Antarctic require the utmost concentration from pilots, the airport provided the crew with adequate rest and comprehensive ground support.

According to airport representatives, the acceptance of aircraft of this class confirms the airport's readiness to serve airlines of any complexity and specialization, guaranteeing safety, efficiency, and a high level of service.

Acrux Airlines was registered in 2025 and specializes in flights to remote areas of the Arctic, Antarctica, and other remote regions of the planet. The carrier's name derives from the star of the same name—Acrux (Alpha Crucis), the brightest star in the Southern Cross constellation, which traditionally points the way to the South Pole. The IL-76TD-90VD aircraft that landed in Turkmenabat is named after Artur Chilingarov, a polar explorer, Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Russia, who led transcontinental flights to Antarctica.