Can you believe that in the vast expanse of China, there are airports that only welcome one plane a day? After the roar of the plane, all that remains is silence and idle staff. What kind of existence is this?
Why did our country build such airports in such remote areas, and what are the hidden stories behind these airports and their impact on local communities?
Take a closer look at the three lonely airports – Qilian Airport, Badain Jaran Airport and Ejinaqi Taolai Airport – which only have one flight a day. And employees spend most of their time quietly waiting for that brief busy moment.
1. Qilian Airport
Qilian Airport, this name may not be well known to most people. It is located at the foot of the picturesque Qilian Mountains and is known as the air passage of Qinghai's "North Gate". Qilian County, although sparsely populated, has vast natural scenery and rich cultural heritage.
Although this 4C-class civil regional airport is small, it plays an irreplaceable role in connecting this beautiful plateau with the rest of the world.
The lifeline of the airport, Qilian Airport is a place where flights take off and land, and it is an important bridge between Qilian County and the outside world. Every day, only one plane arrives on the runway of this high-altitude airport, and it comes from the provincial capital of Xining.
For local residents, the existence of this plane means a hope for emergency medical assistance, an opportunity to go out to study or work, or even a simple window to connect with the outside world.
What is the daily life of the employees at Qilian Airport when only one plane takes off and lands every day? For most people, the work of airport staff is full of busyness and tension, but most of the time they are shrouded in a kind of silence and waiting.
The airport has become the center of these employees' social and daily activities, from the first rays of sunlight in the morning to the silence in the depths of the night, their lives are closely related to the operation of the airport, forming a unique work-life model.
It's work, it's a way of life, "lonely but full of meaning".
Considering such a working environment, we can't help but ask, is this airport operation model optimal, how is the airport and staff time allocated, and more importantly, what should be the future direction of Qilian Airport, can the potential of this land be fully utilized by adding more routes or developing tourism resources around the airport?
How to make good use of the airport construction to bring the greatest benefits and convenience to the economy and life is a problem that everyone is considering.
2. Badain Jaran Airport
In the vast desert of Alxa Right Banner in Inner Mongolia, there is an unusual airport - Badain Jaran Airport, which is the first commuter airport in China.
The concept of a commuter airport, which originated in the United States, is redefined and executed here to serve people living in remote areas, providing them with aviation support for their daily travel and economic exchanges.
Badain Jaran Airport was officially opened to traffic on December 17, 2013, which gave Alxa "wings" and bid farewell to the embarrassment of barren traffic.
Although Badain Jaran Airport is small in size, with a terminal area of 1,000 square meters, its existence is much more than its physical size.
This 3C-level commuter airport is the air gateway of the Alxa League, and it is also an important link between this ancient land and the outside world. Every take-off and landing at the airport is a round-trip flight and a symbol of regional progress.
Commuter airports are usually simple and have low operating costs, making them ideal for a sparsely populated and vast area like Badain Jarin.
This airport model effectively solves the travel problems of residents in remote areas, provides an affordable transportation option, and greatly facilitates the life and work of local residents.
The operation of Badain Jaran Airport also fully demonstrates how to meet the needs of special areas through specific aviation services, and high-quality aviation services directly make the passenger experience "full". The success has contributed to the development of transportation in the region, and it has also provided a viable reference model for other regions with similar conditions.
How will commuter airports evolve in the global aviation sector, and will we see more projects like Badain Jaran Airport, especially in remote areas that are inaccessible?
3. Ejina Banner Taolai Airport
Ejinaqi Taolai Airport is located in Ejinaqi, Alxa League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, about 10 kilometers away from the center of Dalaihubu Town. Uniquely located on the edge of a spectacular desert, this small airport is an important tourist node, helping travelers explore natural beauties such as picturesque poplar forests and ancient Black City ruins.
As a 3C commuter airport, it serves the local population and attracts tourists and photographers alike as a starting point for exploring this ancient desert.
The 'through journey via Zuo Fei' transfer service provided by Ejinaqi Taolai Airport provides passengers with an unparalleled convenience experience.
Airport services are often unattainable, especially for the general public. The "through to left" service at Taolai Airport in Ejinaqi has completely changed this situation.
Often, we see that high-end services are only available to a small number of people, and ordinary people are limited by various inconveniences. However, Taolai Airport has promoted this efficient and convenient service to the public and realized the democratization of service. It has to be said that this is a powerful blow to those service providers who only care about filling their own pockets and ignore the needs of ordinary people.
This service, which includes free secondary security checks, baggage check-in and free transfers, greatly simplifies the travel process and makes consecutive journeys between multiple cities in mainland China seamless and easy.
These features enhance passenger comfort and make the airport more attractive and competitive, making it stand out from the crowd of smaller airports.
The existence of the airport greatly facilitates the arrival of foreign tourists in this remote area, and effectively promotes the development of local tourism resources.
As more and more tourists enter through Ejinaqi Taolai Airport, the local tourism industry has developed rapidly, leading to the rise of hotels, restaurants and entertainment industries in the surrounding area.
The airport has also served as a platform to promote local cultural heritage, such as the natural beauty of the poplar forest and the historical sites of the Black City, which have played a key role in enhancing the region's tourist attractiveness.
Fourth, the importance of airports
Although Qilian Airport, Badain Jaran Airport and Ejinaqi Taolai Airport only have one flight a day, behind this seemingly uneconomical operation model, their irreplaceable importance is hidden.
These airports play a vital role in ensuring connectivity and emergency response in remote areas. They provide basic transport services to the local population and act as a bridge between medical emergencies, economic development and social linkages. In some cases, these airports are the only way to connect remote areas to the outside world, and their presence is critical for geographically isolated communities.
Faced with this reality, we must explore how the government and the private sector can work together to enhance the functionality and economics of these airports through innovative operating models and the addition of more routes. For example, airport usage can be increased by introducing low-cost carriers or offering seasonal tourist routes.
The development of special routes, such as direct flights to nature reserves or cultural sites, in conjunction with local tourism resources, may bring new life to these airports.
In the long run, the potential for the development of these airports is huge. With the advancement of technology and the innovation of management models, we are expected to see them become an important force in driving regional economic development.
The government can support the modernization of airports by providing financial grants or tax incentives, while attracting more airlines to the airport.
The private sector can invest in tourism facilities and commercial projects near airports, thereby driving the economic development of the entire region.
We expect these "lonely" airports to be more than just places for planes to take off and land, but to be hubs for regional connectivity, cultural exchange, and economic growth. Through these efforts, these seemingly marginal airports will become important nodes connecting the wider world, improving living conditions and economic conditions in remote areas.
Through innovative operations and enhanced route services, they can attract more visitors and investment, further demonstrating that even small-scale infrastructure can deliver significant social and economic benefits.
epilogue
Although Qilian Airport, Badain Jaran Airport and Ejinaqi Taolai Airport only have one flight a day, behind this seemingly uneconomical operation model, their irreplaceable importance is hidden.
Like lone wolves, these airports guard the only link between remote areas and the outside world.
They provide basic transport services to the local population and act as a bridge between medical emergencies, economic development and social linkages.
In some cases, these airports are the only way to connect remote areas to the outside world, and their presence is critical for geographically isolated communities.
In the face of this, it is important to understand how governments and the private sector can work together to leverage the strengths of these airports and enhance their economics by leveraging innovative operating models and adding more routes.
Airport usage can also be increased by introducing low-cost airlines, or by offering seasonal tourist routes. The development of special routes, such as direct flights to nature reserves or cultural sites, in conjunction with local tourism resources, may bring new life to these airports.
In the long run, the potential for the development of these airports is huge. Technological progress and management model innovation, we are expected to see them become an important force to promote regional economic development.
The government can also support the modernization of airports by providing financial grants or tax incentives, while attracting more airlines to the airport.
The private sector can invest in tourism facilities and commercial projects near airports, thereby driving the economic development of the entire region.
What else do you think can be done to improve the operational efficiency and economic value of these remote airports?