Santa Amelia Airstrip

Primarily economic obsolescence and improved infrastructure. The development and paving of roads in the Petén department, such as the route connecting Sayaxché to the rest of the country, significantly reduced the reliance on air travel for transporting personnel and light cargo to remote locations. As ground transportation became more reliable and cost-effective, small, high-maintenance dirt airstrips like Santa Amelia became redundant. A secondary factor in the region is often security, as Guatemalan authorities have worked to disable unsupervised airstrips to prevent their use for illicit trafficking, though Santa Amelia's closure appears to be from disuse rather than forced destruction.

The airstrip is abandoned and defunct. Satellite imagery confirms that the runway's outline is still clearly visible, but it is completely overgrown with grass and low vegetation. It is unmaintained and unusable for any aircraft operations. The land appears to have been absorbed into the surrounding agricultural landscape, likely used for cattle grazing or simply left fallow. There are no buildings or obstructions directly on the runway, but it is not being preserved for aviation use.

Santa Amelia Airstrip was a crucial logistical asset in a remote and densely forested region before reliable road networks existed. Its primary function was likely to support the oil and gas exploration and production industry, which has historically been very active in this part of Petén. Companies used such airstrips to ferry personnel, equipment, and supplies. Additionally, it would have served general aviation needs for the local community of Santa Amelia and potentially supported archaeological teams working at nearby Mayan sites like Ceibal or Cancuén. The operations would have consisted exclusively of light aircraft (e.g., Cessna 206, Piper PA-31, Britten-Norman Islander) capable of landing on a short, unpaved grass/dirt runway.

There are no known or published plans to reopen the Santa Amelia Airstrip. The region's primary air traffic is consolidated at the much larger and fully equipped Mundo Maya International Airport (MGMM/FRS) in Flores. Reopening this small strip would require significant investment to clear, grade, and potentially pave the runway, as well as establish new operational oversight. Without a new, compelling economic driver—such as a major new industrial project or a large-scale eco-tourism development in the immediate vicinity—the prospects for its revival are virtually non-existent.