Former Qiemo Airport

The Former Qiemo Airport was closed and decommissioned following the opening of the new, modern Qiemo Yudu Airport (IATA: IQM, ICAO: ZWCM). The primary reason for the closure was that the old facility was outdated, had a short runway, and could not accommodate the larger aircraft needed to meet growing economic and passenger demand. The new airport was a key infrastructure project designed to improve connectivity, support regional development and tourism, and handle modern jet aircraft like the Boeing 737, which was impossible at the old site. The closure was a planned replacement, not due to an accident or military conversion.

The former airport site is located within the urban area of Qiemo Town. Since its closure, the land has been repurposed for urban development. Satellite imagery of the coordinates (38.14886, 85.5325) shows that while the outline of the original runway is still visible, the area is being encroached upon by new buildings, roads, and other city infrastructure. The former apron and terminal areas have been largely redeveloped. The site is no longer used for any aviation-related activities and is being progressively integrated into the town's expanding footprint.

Originally built in 1978 and opened to traffic in the early 1980s, the Former Qiemo Airport was a vital lifeline for Qiemo County, a remote settlement on the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert. For decades, it provided the only reliable and fast connection to the rest of Xinjiang and China, significantly reducing travel times that could otherwise take days over difficult desert terrain. As a Class 3C airport, it primarily handled regional flights operated with smaller turboprop aircraft, such as the Xian Y-7. Operations were mainly conducted by CAAC and its regional successor, China Xinjiang Airlines (which later merged into China Southern Airlines), connecting Qiemo with regional hubs like Korla and the provincial capital, Ürümqi. The airport was crucial for transporting personnel, essential supplies, mail, and providing emergency medical evacuation services.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the Former Qiemo Airport. All air services for the region were permanently transferred to the new Qiemo Yudu Airport, which is larger, safer, and better equipped to serve the county's long-term needs. The old airport's location within the town makes it unsuitable for modern aviation standards and more valuable as land for urban expansion. Therefore, its reopening is considered impossible.