Xi'an Xiguan Airport

The airport was closed following the opening of the new, much larger Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (IATA: XIY, ICAO: ZLXY). The primary reasons for replacing Xiguan Airport were:
1. **Urban Encroachment:** Located just outside Xi'an's historic city wall, the airport was surrounded by the rapidly expanding city, making further expansion of its runway or facilities impossible.
2. **Capacity Limitations:** Its single, short runway could not accommodate larger, modern wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 747, which were becoming essential for growing domestic and international routes.
3. **Safety and Noise:** The airport's proximity to dense residential and commercial areas created significant noise pollution and posed increasing safety risks for landings and takeoffs.

The airport site has been completely demolished and redeveloped. It is now a bustling and fully integrated part of Xi'an's urban core, located in the Lianhu District. The former airport grounds are now occupied by:
- **Commercial and Residential Buildings:** The area is a dense mix of apartments, offices, and shops. A major local landmark is the 'Laofejichang' (老飞机场, 'Old Airport') shopping area.
- **Urban Park:** A significant portion of the former site is now Laodong Park (劳动公园 - Labor Park), a public green space.
- **Infrastructure:** New roads, including Fenggao Road (丰镐路), crisscross the former runway and taxiways. The physical footprint of the airport is no longer visible, though the area is still colloquially known as the 'Old Airport' by local residents.

Xi'an Xiguan Airport was the primary airport for Xi'an and the Shaanxi province for nearly 70 years. Its historical IATA code was SIA and its ICAO code was ZLXY (the ICAO code CN-0475 is a non-standard, modern identifier for a closed facility).

- **Establishment:** Originally built in 1924, it was one of the earliest airports in China.
- **Pre-WWII Era:** It served as a key hub for the Eurasia Aviation Corporation, a Sino-German venture, connecting China to Europe.
- **Xi'an Incident (1936):** The airport played a crucial role in the historic Xi'an Incident, where Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek was detained by his own generals. Many of the key political and military figures involved flew in and out of Xiguan Airport during the tense negotiations.
- **Wartime Importance:** It was a vital military airbase during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the subsequent Chinese Civil War.
- **Post-1949 Operations:** After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it became the main civil aviation hub for northwestern China, operated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). It handled all domestic flights connecting the ancient capital to the rest of the country until its closure.

There are zero prospects for reopening Xi'an Xiguan Airport. The site has been irreversibly redeveloped into a high-density urban district. Furthermore, Xi'an is served by the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), a major international hub that is among the busiest in China and is continuously undergoing expansion with new terminals and runways to meet growing demand. Reopening a small, defunct airport in the city center is physically impossible and strategically unnecessary.