Andes Airport

The closure was due to a combination of factors, primarily economic. The main reasons were:
1. **Improved Ground Transportation:** Significant improvements to the highway connecting Andes with Medellín made road travel much cheaper and more reliable, drastically reducing the demand for regional air travel.
2. **Decline of Regional Airlines:** The financial struggles and eventual cessation of operations of key regional carriers, most notably ACES (Aerolíneas Centrales de Colombia S.A.), which was the primary airline serving Andes, led to the discontinuation of the route.
3. **Operational Challenges:** The airport was situated in a narrow valley surrounded by mountainous terrain, making approaches and departures challenging and inherently risky. The short runway limited the types of aircraft that could operate there.

The airport is permanently closed and has been repurposed for public and recreational use. The former runway and surrounding area are now known locally as the 'Aeroparque Juan de Dios "El Mono" Uribe'. The paved strip is used as a linear park for walking, jogging, and cycling. The site also hosts a synthetic football pitch (cancha sintética), other sports facilities, and is adjacent to the local fire department headquarters. The area has seen significant urban development around its perimeter, making a future reactivation for aviation highly impractical.

Andes Airport was a crucial transportation link for the coffee-growing region of southwestern Antioquia for several decades.
- **Connectivity:** It provided a vital and fast connection to Medellín for passengers, high-value cargo, and emergency services, at a time when road travel was slow and arduous.
- **Airlines and Aircraft:** The airport was primarily served by the Colombian regional airline ACES, which operated STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft perfectly suited for the challenging conditions. The most common aircraft in its later years was the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. In earlier times, aircraft like the Douglas DC-3 may have also used the airfield.
- **Economic Role:** It played a significant role in the local economy, supporting business travel and the region's prominence as a major coffee hub.

There are no concrete or funded plans to reopen the airport. While local politicians have occasionally raised the possibility of reactivating the airstrip to boost tourism or for emergency use, the significant obstacles make it highly unlikely. These challenges include:
- **Urban Encroachment:** The area is now integrated into the urban fabric of Andes, surrounded by homes, businesses, and recreational facilities.
- **High Costs:** Re-establishing the airport would require significant investment to acquire the land back, clear obstacles, and upgrade the infrastructure to meet modern safety and operational standards set by Colombia's Civil Aviation Authority (Aerocivil).
- **Lack of Economic Viability:** The original economic reasons for its closure, primarily competition from efficient road transport, still hold true.