Former Yushu Batang Airport

Yushu (Batang), CN 🇨🇳 Closed Airport

ICAO

CN-0397

IATA

-

Elevation

- ft

Region

CN-63

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 32.82716° N, 97.12018° E

Continent: AS

Type: Closed Airport

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

External Links

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Nearby Points of Interest

What Travelers Say

AI-Generated Summary Based on web research

Traveler sentiment at Yushu Batang Airport (YUS) appears mixed, with high satisfaction for getting to and from the airport, but lower ratings for in-terminal experiences. The airport is primarily functional, catering to its unique high-altitude location with essential services.

What Travelers Love
  • Efficient Transportation Connections: Travelers generally find it easy to get to and from the airport, with excellent ratings for ground transportation options. Both airport shuttle buses (CNY 20, 40 minutes) and taxis (CNY 45-55, 30 minutes) are available and connect to downtown Yushu.
  • Oxygen Facilities: As a high-altitude airport (over 3900 meters), Yushu Batang Airport is equipped with oxygen facilities within the terminal, a crucial amenity for passengers who might experience altitude sickness.
  • Free Wi-Fi: The airport provides free Wi-Fi (network name "yushujichang" with password "13761376") throughout the entire facility.
  • Dedicated Services for Special Passengers: The airport offers assistance and dedicated security check channels for children traveling alone, seniors, sick, pregnant, and disabled passengers, indicating a focus on passenger comfort and accessibility.
  • Short Immigration Wait Times: Current estimates for passport control and immigration wait times are relatively short, typically around 8 minutes.
Common Complaints
  • Limited Terminal Facilities and Services: Traveler satisfaction with terminal facilities and food and retail services is notably low, suggesting these areas may be basic or lack variety.
  • Moderate Security Check Satisfaction: The security check process receives only moderate satisfaction ratings, indicating potential areas for improvement or occasional inefficiencies. Security wait times are currently estimated around 28-30 minutes, with peak hours experiencing longer queues.
  • Basic Amenities: While essential services are present (shops, restaurants, medical center), the overall impression points to a functional rather than luxurious or extensive range of amenities.

Overall, Yushu Batang Airport serves its purpose as a high-altitude regional gateway with efficient access and crucial medical provisions. However, travelers seeking extensive dining, shopping, or modern terminal luxuries may find the facilities to be quite basic.

Generated False weeks ago

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For Pilots

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Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Nov 21, 2025
Closure Date

Approximately August 2009. The airport was rendered obsolete and closed upon the official opening of its replacement, the new Yushu Batang Airport (IATA: YUS, ICAO: ZYYU), on August 1, 2009. All air traffic was transferred to the new facility.

Reason for Closure

Replacement and Obsolescence. The old Batang airfield was a very basic, high-altitude airstrip with a short runway and minimal infrastructure. It was incapable of handling the larger, modern jet aircraft required to support the region's economic development and tourism goals. A new, modern airport was constructed at a different location (approx. 20 km away) with a much longer runway (3,800 meters), modern navigational aids, and a passenger terminal, making the old airfield redundant.

Current Status

The site is abandoned and decommissioned as an airport. Satellite imagery confirms the runway and basic layout are still clearly visible but are in a state of disrepair and are not maintained for aviation. The land has been repurposed, with some sources indicating it is now used as a military training ground and driver training facility for the People's Armed Police. The original airfield infrastructure is no longer in use for its intended purpose.

Historical Significance

The former Yushu Batang Airport was a crucial, albeit rudimentary, air link for the extremely remote and high-altitude Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture for many years. Located at an elevation of over 3,800 meters (12,500 feet), it was one of the highest airfields in the world. Its operations were primarily limited to smaller, specialized propeller aircraft suitable for high-altitude takeoffs and landings. The airport served a dual military and civil purpose, providing essential transport for government officials, military personnel, emergency supplies, and very limited passenger traffic. It was strategically important for connecting this isolated region of the Tibetan Plateau with the rest of China before modern infrastructure was developed.

Reopening Prospects

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the former airport for aviation. Its role has been entirely and permanently superseded by the new, modern Yushu Batang Airport (ZYYU/YUS), which is far superior in every aspect, including safety, capacity, and all-weather operational capability. The old site is considered completely obsolete for any form of modern aviation.

Nearby Airports

Yushu Batang Airport
YUS • ZLYS
Yushu (Batang), CN
Medium Airport Scheduled Service
~8 km away
Yushu Batang Airport
YUS • ZLYS
Yushu (Batang), CN
Medium Airport Scheduled Service
~8 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.