Dios Airport

The airport was a casualty of the Bougainville Civil War. The conflict led to a complete breakdown of services, security, and economic activity in the region. Like many other small airfields on the island, Dios was abandoned due to the impossibility of safe operation and the general collapse of the transportation network. Post-conflict, economic priorities were focused on reopening major airports like Aropa, leaving no resources or need for minor strips like Dios.

The airport is permanently closed and abandoned. Satellite imagery of the coordinates shows a clear, straight scar in the landscape where the runway once existed. The area is now heavily overgrown with dense vegetation. The former runway and surrounding land have been reclaimed by the jungle and are used by the local community for subsistence agriculture and housing. The airstrip is completely unusable for any form of aviation.

Dios Airport was a typical post-WWII 'bush strip' or 'patrol post' airstrip common throughout Papua New Guinea. It was not a major military airfield from the war but was likely established to serve the remote inland community of Dios. Its operations would have been limited to light, STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, such as the Britten-Norman Islander or Cessna single-engine planes. These aircraft provided a vital lifeline, transporting missionaries, government officials, medical supplies, mail, and connecting the local population to larger centers before the development of reliable road networks.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Dios Airport. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville is served by its two major airports, Buka Airport (AYBK) in the north and Aropa Airport (AYAR) near Kieta. Given the significant cost required to clear and rebuild the airstrip and the lack of a compelling economic or strategic reason, the site is considered permanently defunct.