San Juan Nepomuceno Airstrip

The airstrip was not 'closed' in a traditional sense but rather decommissioned and superseded as part of a major expansion and modernization of the La Paz airport. The original, shorter runway was inadequate for the larger jet aircraft (like the Boeing 727 and DC-9) required to support the region's growing tourism industry. A new, longer, and more robust runway (the current Runway 18/36) was constructed, rendering the old airstrip obsolete for primary flight operations. This was a strategic upgrade, not a closure due to economic decline or an accident.

The physical pavement of the former San Juan Nepomuceno Airstrip is still largely intact and has been fully integrated into the infrastructure of the active Manuel Márquez de León International Airport. A significant portion of its length now functions as the main parallel taxiway, designated 'Taxiway Alpha,' which runs alongside the primary runway. Other sections of the old asphalt are used for aircraft parking aprons, access roads, and for storing airport ground equipment. It is clearly visible in satellite imagery as a narrower strip of pavement parallel to the main runway.

This facility represents the original runway of what is now Manuel Márquez de León International Airport (MMLP). Before the major expansion, this airstrip was the primary gateway for air travel to La Paz. It was instrumental in connecting the then-remote Baja California Sur capital with mainland Mexico and the United States. Operations were dominated by general aviation, private aircraft, and earlier commercial propeller-driven aircraft (like the DC-3) that served the initial phases of the region's development for tourism and commerce. The name 'San Juan Nepomuceno' likely originates from the name of the ranch or local area where the first airfield was established.

There are zero prospects for reopening this as an independent airstrip or a separate runway. Its infrastructure has been fundamentally repurposed to support the operations of the current international airport. Re-establishing it as a runway would be operationally impossible, as it would conflict directly with the existing taxiway system and the safety zones of the main runway. It will continue to serve its current function as a critical taxiway and support surface for MMLP.