Imias, CU 🇨🇺 Closed Airport
CU-0017
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- ft
CU-14
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 20.080681° N, -74.625406° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Unfortunately, no recent traveler reviews or experiences specifically for Imias Airport (CU-0017) could be found in the search results. It appears there is very limited or no publicly available information regarding traveler sentiment, facilities, security, or transportation for this particular airport.
Searches for "Imias Airport (CU-0017)" primarily returned information related to other, larger Cuban airports such as José Martí International Airport in Havana and Frank País Airport in Holguín, or general discussions about Cuban airports. Some results were also irrelevant to airports.
Therefore, it is not possible to provide a summary of traveler experiences for Imias Airport (CU-0017) based on the current information.
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The exact date is not officially documented, but the airport ceased regular operations in the early 1990s. The closure was a gradual process resulting from the economic crisis in Cuba, known as the 'Special Period', which began after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. By the early 2000s, satellite imagery shows the airfield was in a state of disuse and falling into disrepair.
The closure was due to economic reasons. During the 'Special Period', Cuba lost its primary economic benefactor, the Soviet Union, leading to severe shortages of fuel, spare parts for aircraft, and general funding. The Cuban government was forced to rationalize its transportation network, and small, unprofitable domestic airfields like Imías were closed. Air services were consolidated at larger, more strategically important airports capable of handling tourism and more essential routes.
The airport is permanently closed and abandoned. The single asphalt runway is in a state of severe decay, with extensive cracking, faded markings, and vegetation growing through the surface. A local road now cuts across the western portion of the runway, making it unusable for any aviation purposes. The small building that likely served as a terminal or administrative office is derelict. The site is not maintained and appears to be partially used for local agriculture, with the remainder being overgrown.
Imias Airport was a small regional airfield that served as a critical transportation link for the remote municipality of Imías, located on the far eastern tip of Cuba. It primarily handled domestic passenger flights, likely operated by Cubana de Aviación or AeroCaribbean, using small propeller aircraft such as the Antonov An-2 or An-24. These flights connected the isolated, mountainous region with the provincial capital, Guantánamo, and other parts of the country, overcoming difficult overland travel. The airport was vital for local residents, government administration, and potentially for agricultural aviation or emergency medical transport.
There are no known or publicly announced plans to reopen Imias Airport. The cost to resurface the runway, rebuild infrastructure, and re-establish air traffic services would be substantial. Given the limited economic demand in the immediate area and the consolidation of regional air services at the larger Mariana Grajales Airport (MUGT) in Guantánamo, the reopening of this small airfield is considered highly improbable.