Buno Bedelle Airport

Replacement and Modernization. The old Buno Bedelle airstrip was a basic, unpaved facility incapable of handling modern aircraft. It was strategically replaced by the Ethiopian government with a new, fully-equipped airport located a few kilometers away. The new airport features a 2.5-kilometer long asphalt runway, a modern terminal, and can accommodate larger aircraft like the Boeing 737, aligning with Ethiopia's national plan to upgrade its aviation infrastructure.

The site of the former airport is completely abandoned and decommissioned. Analysis of recent satellite imagery shows that the land has been largely reclaimed for agricultural purposes. The faint outline of the former dirt/gravel runway is still visible but is overgrown with vegetation and crisscrossed by farm plots. There are no significant airport structures remaining on the site.

The Buno Bedelle airstrip served as a rudimentary but essential air link for the city of Bedelle and the surrounding Buno Bedelle Zone, a region known for its significant coffee production. For decades, it was part of Ethiopia's domestic aviation network, likely served by Ethiopian Airlines using STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft such as the DHC-6 Twin Otter and DC-3. These flights provided critical transport for passengers, mail, light cargo, and government administration to a relatively remote economic center before the improvement of road networks.

There are zero prospects for reopening this old airstrip. Its function has been entirely and permanently superseded by the new Bedelle Airport (HABE), which is fully operational and serves the region's current and future air transport needs. The old site is considered permanently closed and is reverting to agricultural land.