Former Yushu Batang Airport

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.

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.

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.

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 Its role has been entirely and permanently superseded by the new, modern Yushu Batang Airport (ZYYU/YUS), which is far superior in every aspect, including safety, capacity, and all-weather operational capability.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.