Bayóvar Airport

Primarily economic reasons and logistical obsolescence. The airstrip was built to serve remote industrial operations before robust road infrastructure was in place. With the improvement of the highway connecting Bayóvar to the regional capital of Piura (home to the major Capitán FAP Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport, IATA: PIO), it became more cost-effective and efficient to transport personnel and light cargo via ground from the larger airport. The cost of maintaining and certifying the private airstrip for a diminishing number of flights became unjustifiable for the local industrial operators.

The airport is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery confirms the single runway is still physically visible but in a severe state of disrepair. The asphalt surface is cracked, weathered, and partially covered by sand and vegetation, with no visible markings. The site is not fenced or secured for aviation purposes and is effectively unused industrial land within the buffer zone of the Bayóvar port and mining facilities. There is no remaining aviation infrastructure like a terminal, hangar, or ground support equipment.

Bayóvar Airport was a private industrial aerodrome, not a public commercial airport. Its significance is tied directly to the development of two of Peru's most important industrial complexes in the Sechura Desert. It was initially constructed in the 1970s to support the construction of the massive Nor-Peruvian Pipeline (Oleoducto Norperuano) and its marine terminal, operated by Petroperú. The airstrip was vital for transporting engineers, technicians, and executives to the remote site. In the 2000s, it served a similar role during the development of the vast Bayóvar phosphate mine, operated by Compañía Minera Miski Mayo. Operations consisted exclusively of general aviation and charter flights using light aircraft (e.g., turboprops and piston-engine planes) for personnel transport, urgent light cargo, and emergency medical evacuations.

There are no known or publicly discussed plans to reopen or rehabilitate Bayóvar Airport. The prospects for reopening are extremely low to non-existent. The well-established and efficient road link to Piura's international airport (a drive of approximately 1.5 to 2 hours) negates the need for a local airstrip. Any company operating in the area would find it far more economical to continue using the existing logistics chain. Reopening would require a multi-million dollar investment to completely rebuild the runway, install modern navigation and lighting systems, and re-certify the facility with Peru's aviation authority (DGAC), an expense for which there is no apparent demand.