Ras Gharib Airport

The closure was almost certainly due to a combination of economic and logistical factors. The primary reasons include:
1. **Consolidation of Operations:** Air traffic for the region's oil and gas industry was likely consolidated to the larger, better-equipped, and more modern Hurghada International Airport (IATA: HRG), located approximately 150 km to the south.
2. **Economic Viability:** The cost of maintaining and operating a private airfield, even a basic one, became less justifiable as road infrastructure improved.
3. **Improved Ground Transport:** The well-maintained Hurghada-Suez coastal highway provides efficient ground transportation for personnel and equipment, reducing the need for a dedicated local airstrip.

The airport is currently abandoned and derelict. High-resolution satellite imagery shows the clear outlines of a main unpaved runway (approximately 1,500 meters long) and a parallel taxiway. Both surfaces are severely degraded, eroded, and completely unusable for aviation. There are no remaining buildings, hangars, or ground support equipment visible on the site. The land has not been repurposed for any other use and remains an empty, disused airfield in the desert landscape west of the city of Ras Gharib.

Ras Gharib Airport was a private airfield that served as a critical logistical hub for Egypt's petroleum industry in the Gulf of Suez. Ras Gharib is one of the country's oldest and most important oil production centers. The airport's primary function was to transport personnel (engineers, executives, technicians) and light, time-sensitive cargo directly to and from the oil fields and processing facilities. It handled private and charter flights, likely operating small to medium-sized propeller aircraft (like the DHC-6 Twin Otter or similar) and business jets capable of using its relatively short, unpaved runway. It was never a public commercial airport and did not handle scheduled passenger flights for the general public. The non-standard ICAO code 'EG-0010' (standard Egyptian airports use the 'HE' prefix) further indicates its status as a private or unofficial airfield.

There are no known or publicly announced plans to reopen or redevelop Ras Gharib Airport. The region's air transportation needs are fully met by Hurghada International Airport for both commercial and charter services, and by the efficient coastal highway for ground logistics. Given Egypt's aviation development focus on major international hubs and tourism centers, the prospect of investing in and reopening this small, specialized airfield is considered extremely low to non-existent.