Santa Bárbara Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic factors and a decline in its operational necessity. As a small, local airstrip, its purpose was likely tied to agricultural aviation. The downturn in the Cuban economy and the restructuring of state-run agricultural enterprises led to the consolidation of air services at larger, more centralized airports. Many small, specialized airfields like this one were abandoned due to lack of funding, maintenance, and demand.

The airport is completely abandoned and derelict. High-resolution satellite imagery of the coordinates (22.38051, -83.32782) shows the former runway is no longer distinguishable from the surrounding fields. It is entirely overgrown with grass, shrubs, and vegetation, making it completely unusable for any type of aircraft. There are no remaining buildings or infrastructure on the site, which has effectively reverted to rural scrubland.

Santa Bárbara Airport was not a commercial airport for passenger or cargo traffic. Its historical significance is rooted in its role as an agricultural airstrip ('aeropista agrícola'). Located in the heart of Pinar del Río, Cuba's primary tobacco-growing region, its main purpose was to support agricultural aviation. This included operations like crop dusting, seeding, and aerial surveying for the large state-run farms in the area. Aircraft, likely Soviet-made Antonov An-2s operated by the state-owned Empresa Nacional de Servicios Aéreos (ENSA), would have used the strip as a local base.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Santa Bárbara Airport. The site is in a state of total disrepair, and its original purpose is now obsolete or served by other means. Given Cuba's economic situation and aviation priorities, any available resources would be allocated to maintaining and upgrading existing operational airports. The reopening of a small, abandoned agricultural strip is considered highly improbable.