Pinotepa, MX 🇲🇽 Closed Airport
MX-2518
-
720 ft
MX-OAX
Loading...
Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 16.349977° N, -98.06198° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: PNO MMPO MX-PNO
Get an AI-powered summary of traveler experiences at Aeródromo Antiguo de Pinotepa Nacional
Powered by AI web research of traveler reviews and experiences
Researching traveler experiences online...
Loading weather data...
| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|
The airport was closed in the late 1990s, approximately around 1998-1999. The closure was directly linked to the construction and inauguration of the new, modern Pinotepa Nacional Airport (IATA: PNO, ICAO: MMTP), which officially opened to replace it.
The primary reason for its closure was replacement and urban encroachment. The old airfield was becoming surrounded by the growing city of Pinotepa Nacional. Its runway was short and its facilities were outdated, limiting the size of aircraft it could handle and posing potential safety risks. A new, larger airport (MMTP) was constructed in a more suitable location outside the city center to improve safety, accommodate larger aircraft, and support regional economic development.
The site of the former airfield has been completely redeveloped and integrated into the urban fabric of Pinotepa Nacional. The land is no longer used for aviation. A significant portion of the former runway and airport grounds is now occupied by the campus of the Universidad de la Costa (UNCOS). The area is also developed with residential neighborhoods (colonias), streets, and other urban infrastructure. The city's bypass road (Libramiento de la Ciudad) also cuts across the former airport property. All original aviation facilities have been demolished.
For several decades, the Aeródromo Antiguo was the primary air link for Pinotepa Nacional and the surrounding Costa Chica region of Oaxaca. It was a crucial piece of infrastructure for connecting this relatively isolated area with larger cities like Oaxaca City and Acapulco. Operations were focused on general aviation, including private aircraft, air taxi services, government and military flights with smaller planes, and essential services like medical evacuations (medevac). It did not handle scheduled commercial jet traffic but was vital for regional transport and commerce before being superseded.
There are zero plans or prospects for reopening this airport. The land has been irreversibly repurposed for educational and residential use. The existence of the fully operational and superior Pinotepa Nacional Airport (MMTP) a few kilometers to the southwest makes any consideration of reopening the old site both physically impossible and logistically redundant.