Cox's Bazar Airport is an domestic airport in the resort town of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. It is in the process of being upgraded to an international airport. The airport serves the residents of Cox's Bazar as well as tourists to the region. Cox's Bazar Airport is undergoing massive expansion, which is due to be completed by 2023.

History

During World War II, the British Raj established an airfield near Cox's Bazar. It was converted into a domestic airport by the central government of Pakistan in 1956, seven years after the city was incorporated into the Pakistani province of East Bengal (later East Pakistan). The airport was damaged during the Bangladesh Liberation War and was renovated and reopened in 1972. According to civil aviation sources, in 2009 the government had planned to rapidly modernize the airport to accommodate fighter jets, if required.

Expansion and development

Since 2012, plans to upgrade and expand the airport to allow international arrivals have been under way. Once completed, it will be the fourth international airport in Bangladesh. The two phases of upgrading will let the airport provide better facilities for parking, landing, and take-off for wide-body aircraft such as the B777 or the A330. The first phase of the upgrade cost. Under the first phase in 2012, the runway was lengthened from 6,775 feet to 9,000 feet and widened from 120 feet to 200 ft. The runway's load capability was strengthened and the runway lighting also received an upgrade. Equipment such as instrument landing system, distance measuring equipment, AMeDAS, and VOR was installed. Aircraft Refueling (JET A-1) facilities were available from February 2017 by Standard Asiatic Oil Company Limited, an enterprise of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation. Under the second phase, the runway is being expanded by an additional 1,700 feet from its current 9,000 ft by reclaiming land from the sea. An approximately 1,300-foot stretch of the runway's expanded portion would be over the sea.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Incidents and accidents