Lehu Airport

The primary reason for closure was the Bougainville Crisis. The civil conflict led to a complete breakdown of government services, law and order, and civil aviation infrastructure across the island. Airlines and missionary flight services ceased operations into remote areas like Lehu due to the extreme danger and lack of security. The airstrip fell into disuse and was reclaimed by nature.

The airport is completely closed and unserviceable. Satellite imagery shows the runway is heavily overgrown with dense vegetation and is no longer distinguishable as an active airfield. A 2017 survey by the Autonomous Bougainville Government's Department of Technical Services confirmed its status as closed and requiring major rehabilitation. The land is likely used by the local community for footpaths or small-scale gardening.

Lehu Airstrip was a critical piece of infrastructure for the remote Siwai District in South Bougainville. Before the crisis, it functioned as a typical 'bush strip', handling small Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft such as the Britten-Norman Islander or Cessna 206. It was a lifeline for the local community, used by third-level airlines and missionary aviation groups (like MAF) to deliver mail, medical supplies, food, and other essential goods, as well as to transport people, including government officers, health workers, and local residents, to and from larger towns. The identifier PG-0157 is a non-standard ICAO code, likely an internal designation from a database like the US military's DAFIF, as small, regional airstrips in Papua New Guinea often lack official ICAO codes.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has expressed a long-term goal of rehabilitating its network of rural airstrips to improve connectivity and stimulate economic development. Lehu was assessed as part of this initiative. However, there are no immediate or funded plans for its reopening. The rehabilitation would require substantial investment to clear the entire runway, assess the foundation, and re-establish basic facilities. It is considered a long-term aspiration rather than an active project.