小琉球機場, Former regional airport in Liuqiu Township, Taiwan
Xiaoliuqiu Airport (小琉球機場) is a former regional flight facility on the small coral island of Xiaoliuqiu, off the southwestern coast of Taiwan, with an abandoned terminal building near the shore. The grounds still serve as a heliport managed by the local township for emergency services and occasional transport needs.
In the 1970s, Taiwan Airlines briefly operated a scheduled route between the island and Kaohsiung, but low passenger numbers and high operating costs made the service unsustainable. After the route was discontinued, the airport was largely abandoned and repurposed for helicopter use only.
The abandoned terminal building stands near the coast as a reminder of a brief period when flying was seen as a modern solution for island life. Today most visitors arrive by ferry, and the site feels more like a quiet piece of local memory than an active transportation hub.
The site is open to visitors but sits within township administrative grounds where helicopter operations can take place at any time. Access may be restricted during bad weather or when emergency services are in use, so it is best to approach with caution.
The flight between the island and Kaohsiung lasted under 10 minutes, making it one of the shortest commercial routes ever operated in the region. Passengers barely had time to sit down before the plane began its descent.
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