Owais Crawford
El Salvador International Airport, located in the south-central area of El Salvador, has been closed several times since its opening in 1980. The airport was closed for several hours in 2001 due to an earthquake, and again in 2005 due to Hurricane Stan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, El Salvador closed its airport to commercial flights to prevent the spread of the virus. In June 2024, a landslide blocked the road to the airport, but it is unclear whether the airport itself was closed.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | El Salvador International Airport Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez |
| Previous Names | Comalapa International Airport, Cuscatlán International Airport, Comalapa Air Base |
| Location | San Luis Talpa, Department of La Paz, El Salvador |
| Year Opened | 1980 |
| Area | 2,519.8 acres |
| Runway Count | 1 |
| Temporary Closures | Earthquake (2001), Hurricane Stan (2005), Landslide (2024), COVID-19 (2020) |
| Permanent Closure | None |
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What You'll Learn
- El Salvador International Airport closed to commercial flights during the COVID-19 pandemic
- The airport was also closed to a flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles, to prevent the spread of COVID-19
- In 2001, the airport was closed for several hours following an earthquake
- The airport was closed for several hours in 2005 due to Hurricane Stan
- Landslide in 2024 blocked the road to the airport, causing traffic disruption
El Salvador International Airport closed to commercial flights during the COVID-19 pandemic
El Salvador International Airport, officially known as the Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez International Airport, was closed to commercial flights during the COVID-19 pandemic. The airport serves San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, and is located in the city of San Luis Talpa in the south-central area of the country.
On 21 July 2020, El Salvador's authority for airports, ports, and railways announced that the airport would remain closed for commercial flights due to rising coronavirus cases in the country. This decision was made despite the implementation of various measures to ensure the safety and convenience of travellers, such as the COVID guardians programme, which monitored and enforced compliance with distancing, hygiene, and health protocols.
The closure of the airport caused disruptions to travel plans, as seen in an incident where a flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles was prevented from landing in El Salvador to pick up passengers. This action by the Salvadoran government was done to protect its citizens from potential exposure to the virus, as Mexico allegedly did not deny claims of transporting COVID-19 positive patients on the flight in question.
El Salvador took a severe approach to the pandemic, with mandatory isolation requirements for all incoming travellers and strict quarantine measures. The country also closed its borders, requiring anyone wishing to enter to undergo a mandatory 30-day quarantine in isolation centres. These stringent measures were implemented to prevent the virus from spreading within the country.
On 19 September 2020, El Salvador's airports, including the El Salvador International Airport, resumed commercial flights. However, incoming passengers were required to present a negative PCR coronavirus test taken no more than three days before arrival.
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The airport was also closed to a flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles, to prevent the spread of COVID-19
El Salvador International Airport, located in the south-central area of the country, has been closed to commercial flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airport serves San Salvador, El Salvador and is connected to the capital by a four-lane motorway.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the airport was also closed to a flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles. This flight was scheduled to pick up passengers from San Salvador, but it was shut down by President Nayib Bukele to keep the flight from landing and prevent the potential exposure of Salvadorans to the virus. El Salvador, one of the few countries in the Western Hemisphere without a confirmed case of COVID-19 at the time, has implemented strict measures, including closing its borders and requiring anyone entering the country to undergo mandatory isolation in quarantine centres for a minimum of 30 days.
The decision to close the airport to this specific flight was made due to allegations that the flight was transporting COVID-19-positive patients. While the Mexican foreign ministry did not deny these claims, they questioned how the Salvadoran authorities had obtained this information. It was later revealed that someone in Mexico had informed El Salvador about the situation. This incident caused initial anger among Salvadorans waiting to depart for Los Angeles, but they ultimately expressed relief that they had been protected from potential exposure to the virus.
The El Salvador International Airport has a history of closures due to various reasons, including an earthquake in 2001, emergency landings, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes. The airport offers modern facilities and services for passengers, including duty-free shops, restaurants, bars, and spacious waiting rooms. It serves as a hub for airlines such as Avianca El Salvador and Volaris El Salvador, providing direct and connecting flights to various destinations, including Mexico City and Los Angeles.
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In 2001, the airport was closed for several hours following an earthquake
El Salvador International Airport, located in the south-central area of the country, is a joint-use civilian and military airport that serves San Salvador, El Salvador. On January 13, 2001, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck El Salvador, causing catastrophic damage. The airport was closed for several hours following the earthquake, and minor repairs were made to the east end of the runway.
The earthquake caused significant disruption to lifelines, including landslides that closed major highways and disrupted power, communication, street lighting, roads, and water systems. The airport itself did not escape the impact of the earthquake, as evidenced by reports of workers cleaning up broken liquor bottles that had fallen off the shelves in the duty-free stores. The airport's temporary closure was necessary to assess and repair the damage caused by the earthquake.
The 2001 earthquake in El Salvador resulted in a high number of casualties and extensive damage to infrastructure. At least 944 people were killed, over 5,500 were injured, and more than 250,000 houses and buildings were either damaged or destroyed. The earthquake's epicentre was 60 miles (100 km) southwest of San Miguel, El Salvador, at a depth of 60 km (31 mi).
The tremors from the earthquake were felt across Central America, from Mexico City to Colombia. El Salvador is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes due to its geographical location above the convergent boundary of the Cocos Plate and the Caribbean Plate. The country has experienced several significant earthquakes in the past, including in 1982 and 1992.
In the aftermath of the 2001 earthquake, Salvadoran and foreign agencies analysed the factors that contributed to the destruction. While the government highlighted that the damage was less severe than that of the 1986 earthquakes, outside researchers criticised shortcomings in preparedness and policies that allowed massive deforestation, increasing the vulnerability of the affected areas. The airport's temporary closure due to the earthquake was a necessary precaution to ensure the safety of passengers and staff, and it reopened after the necessary repairs were completed.
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The airport was closed for several hours in 2005 due to Hurricane Stan
El Salvador International Airport, located in the south-central area of El Salvador, has been the subject of several temporary closures over the years. One notable closure occurred in 2005 when the airport was forced to shut down for several hours due to Hurricane Stan.
Hurricane Stan was a devastating tropical cyclone that struck Central America and Mexico in early October 2005. It caused extensive damage and loss of life across the region, leading to its name being retired from the Atlantic hurricane naming lists in 2006. El Salvador was particularly hard hit by the hurricane, with torrential rains and floods affecting many areas.
The airport, located near the Pacific Ocean, is not frequently impacted by storms or hurricanes. However, in 2005, the impact of Hurricane Stan was significant enough to warrant a temporary closure. The hurricane brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to the area, causing flash floods and mudslides that affected communities across El Salvador.
The closure of the airport was a necessary precaution to ensure the safety of passengers, staff, and aircraft. It also allowed for the assessment and management of any damage caused by the hurricane. While the exact duration of the closure is not publicly available, it likely lasted for several hours, as is standard in such situations, to ensure that all necessary safety checks were completed before resuming operations.
The 2005 closure of El Salvador International Airport due to Hurricane Stan was a rare occurrence, and the airport has a strong overall safety record. It has achieved Category 1 status from the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States and is recognized for its high security standards by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
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Landslide in 2024 blocked the road to the airport, causing traffic disruption
El Salvador International Airport, located in the south-central area of the country, has been closed several times since it opened in 1980. However, there is no indication that the airport is permanently closing.
In June 2024, heavy rainfall caused severe flooding and landslides in El Salvador, leading to casualties and damage. On June 21, a landslide blocked the Comalapa road to the El Salvador International Airport, covering all four lanes of the highway. Local authorities cleared one lane, but the process of fully restoring traffic flow was expected to take several hours. The incident caused traffic disruption, and travelers were advised to avoid the road and consider alternative routes.
The country experienced a national state of emergency from June 16 to July 1, with intense rains resulting in an unprecedented 800 mm of rainfall. The Directorate General of Civil Protection issued a national red alert, and the Humanitarian Country Team coordinated with relevant ministries to address the situation. The torrential rains caused fatalities, including two girls aged five and seven whose home was buried in a landslide in San Salvador. The Civil Protection authority warned residents of the danger of landslides due to water accumulation, which could cause walls to collapse.
The El Salvador International Airport has previously closed due to natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport was also closed to commercial flights to prevent the spread of the virus. These instances of closure are typically temporary and in response to specific events or public health concerns.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, El Salvador has closed its airport to commercial flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
El Salvador closed its airport to commercial flights in 2020 and has since kept it closed due to rising COVID-19 cases.
El Salvador closed its airport to prevent the spread of COVID-19 into the country. It has closed its borders and requires anyone entering the country to undergo mandatory isolation in quarantine centres for at least 30 days.
Yes, the airport has been closed at least 10 times since it opened. It was closed for several hours due to an earthquake in 2001 and again in 2005 due to Hurricane Stan.
The airport in El Salvador is called the El Salvador International Airport, previously known as Comalapa International Airport.
