Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport

Coordinates: 26°06′22″N 091°35′09″E / 26.10611°N 91.58583°E / 26.10611; 91.58583
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Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport
Focus city
for
Elevation 
AMSL
49 m / 162 ft
Coordinates26°06′22″N 091°35′09″E / 26.10611°N 91.58583°E / 26.10611; 91.58583
WebsiteLokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport
Map
GAU is located in Assam
GAU
GAU
Location of airport in Assam
GAU is located in India
GAU
GAU
GAU (India)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
02/20 3,110 10,200 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2022 – March 2023)
Passengers5,051,480 (Increase 60.4%)
Aircraft movements45,909 (Increase 36.7%)
Cargo tonnage22,823 (Increase 4.4%)
Source: AAI[2][3][4]

Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (

Chief Minister of Assam after India's independence. The airport is managed by Airports Authority of India and serves as an Indian Air Force
base.

History

Domestic security check area of the airport
Boarding gates of the airport

The airport has undergone numerous expansions and renovations since its establishment in 1958, to facilitate socio-economic development, growth, connectivity and tourism in the state as well as in North-East India, as a gateway to the region. It handled more than 3.7 million passengers in 2017, an increase of 36% from 2016. The airport witnessed annual traffic of over 23% in 2018–19, with a total footfall of 5.7 million passengers and 55,066 aircraft movements in the same period. In 2023, the airport operated on its highest capacity in terms of passengers and aircraft movements ever since its establishment. It handled more than 5.6 million passengers and 46,600 aircraft till 31 December 2023, with an updated figure due in April 2024, thus almost touching its peak capacity of 6 million passengers per annum.[5]

In 2002, the first international flight operated by Air India from the airport to Bangkok, using an Airbus A310 aircraft, thus becoming the first international airport in the North-East region.[6][7] However, the flight was withdrawn due to poor passenger load. In January 2019, the airport won bids for two international destinations under the government's UDAN Scheme, with destinations most anticipated being Dhaka and Bangkok–Don Mueang. In November 2021, the airport won more bids, this time for six international destinations under the UDAN Scheme – Dhaka, Bangkok–Don Mueang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Yangon.[8]

In February 2019, the airport was given on lease for 50 years' ownership to Adani Group, at the highest bid of ₹ 160 per passenger.[9]

As of February 2024, international flights in the airport are operated by Drukair from Paro to Singapore, as a connecting flight, and by Thai AirAsia to Bangkok–Don Mueang.[10][11]

To relieve the existing terminal from rising traffic and demand, a new terminal building is under construction since March 2018, and will be completed by July 2024.[12][13]

Structure

Runway

The airport has a 3,110 m (10,200 ft)-long and 60 m (200 ft)-wide runway, oriented 02/20, capable of handling widebody aircraft like the

PAPI lights facilities to allow flight operations to take place at night and during unfavourable weather conditions, like rain and fog. The airport has two aprons–one in front of the main passenger terminal and another in front of the under-construction second passenger terminal, together capable for parking of 25 widebody and narrowbody aircraft like the Airbus A321 and Boeing 787.[14]

Terminals

Terminal 1

Terminal 1 is the existing passenger terminal since 1958. It covers an area of 28,685 m2 (308,760 sq ft), and is divided into two parts for domestic and international travellers. It has three levels–the ground floor for arrivals, the

Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, a fire station, a fuel station and a technical block.[14]

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 will be the second passenger terminal of the airport, being built 2 km (1.2 mi) north from the existing terminal. It will cover an area of 1,002,500 m2 (10,791,000 sq ft), and will have four levels, out of which two main levels will consist of the arrivals area at the lower level and departures area at the upper level, while the other two levels separating the two main levels will be a mezzanine surface, which will act as the boarding area, and the other part will act as a service floor for the baggage handling system. It will have ten aerobridges, and will be capable of handling 4,500 passengers during peak hours and about 10 million passengers annually. In front of its entrance, there will be a parking space and a multi-level parking area much larger than the existing terminal's. To its south, there will be a new cargo terminal, a fire station, a fuel station, a storage unit and a technical block. Construction began in March 2018, and will be completed by July 2024.[12][15] [16]

Facilities

The airport has many facilities to give passengers and visitors a smooth and hassle-free experience. To connect with travel services and customised packages through the airport's staff, it offers the 'Pranaam Meet and Greet Service' a specialised service that offers customised packages and an array of services to meet travellers' requirements, including professional assistance to corporate clients and support to group travellers, senior citizens and solo travellers.[17]

Other facilities include in-line baggage handling systems, conveyor belts, booking counters, immigration and emigration counters, check-in kiosks, CCTVs, washrooms, restaurants, lounges, multiple retail stores and souvenir shops, lost and found service, free WiFi, child care facilities, cargo services, medical facilities, facilities for physically challenged passengers, duty free, porter service, foreign exchange counters and tourist information desks.[18]

Features

The airport is an eco-friendly airport that has adopted various advanced and modern measures to ensure proper disposal of waste and ensure sustainability, such as a solid waste management system, a wastewater treatment facility, a rainwater harvesting facility, a solar power plant to the south of the terminal for generating electricity, green spaces and an underground drainage system. The upcoming Terminal 2 will also have the same features with more developed systems.[14]

Expansion

To meet the growing demands and rising traffic in the future, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has undertaken construction of a second passenger terminal in the northern side of the airport, at a cost of 1,232 crore (US$150 million).[15]

The new terminal building will be capable of handling 4,300 domestic and 200 international passengers during peak hours, and about 10 million passengers annually. It will be equipped with 64 check-in counters, 20 self-check-in kiosks, 10 escalators, six elevators, six baggage claim counters, 16 self-baggage drop counters, in-line baggage security screening systems, ten

human flight. The airport's roof and the facade will be using a design of origami, depicting a flower called as "foxtail" orchid, known scientifically as Rhynchostylis retusa, which holds a significance in local beliefs and culture. It is famous for its use as a hair-ornament worn by Assamese women during folk dance on the occasion of Bihu.[19]

The

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in January 2018, and construction began in March 2018.[20][12] It was scheduled to be ready by June 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused several delays in work due to lack of labour and restrictions, it got delayed, and was rescheduled to June 2022.[21][22] The date was again changed to be completed by the end of 2023. As of February 2024, more than halfway of the work has been completed, and date for completion and opening has been now set to July 2024.[5][19]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air India Delhi, Dimapur, Imphal, Kolkata
Air India Express[23] Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Goa–Dabolim, Imphal, Jaipur, Pune
Akasa Air[24] Agartala, Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Siliguri
Alliance Air Aizawl, Dibrugarh,[25] Dimapur, Imphal, Kolkata, Lilabari, Pasighat,[26] Shillong, Tezpur[27]
Drukair Paro, Singapore[28]
Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune (resumes 31 March 2024), Silchar
Varanasi
(resumes 31 March 2024)
Thai AirAsia Bangkok–Don Mueang[34]
Vistara[35] Bangalore, Delhi, Dibrugarh

Statistics

See also

  • Airports in India
  • List of busiest airports in India by passenger traffic

References

  1. ^ "Guwahati International Airport". cbonds.com. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b Kalita, Kangkan (4 January 2024). "New terminal of Guwahati airport to take off this year". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  6. ^ Singh, Bikash. "Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal flags off Guwahati-Bangkok flight". The Economic Times. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  7. ^ PTI (4 April 2002). "Guwahati joins international air route". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Six new flights to Southeast Asian nations from Guwahati soon". The Times of India. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Adani Group emerges highest bidder for Guwahati airport". Economic Times. PTI. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  10. ^ "DRUKAIR INCREASES SINGAPORE SERVICE FROM AUGUST 2022". Aeroroutes. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Thai AirAsia to launch flights to Guwahati from December 1". AviationAll. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  12. ^ a b c "Construction works start on India's Guwahati airport terminal". Airport Technology. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Assam: Guwahati Airport's New Terminal To Depict 'Foxtail Orchid'". The Sentinel. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  14. ^ a b c "About Us". Adani Group. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati, India". Airport Technology. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference TS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "Pranaam Meet and Greet Service". Adani Group. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Guwahati Airport Services". Adani Group. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Assam: Guwahati airport to get new terminal representing 'Foxtail Orchid' in July". India Today NE. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Gajapati Raju lays foundation stone for Guwahati Airport's new terminal". Business Standard. 28 January 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Guwahati airport to get new passenger terminal by June 2021. All you need to know". India TV. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  22. ^ Singh, Bikash (7 October 2020). "Guwahati Aiport's new Rs 1232 crore integrated terminal expected to be ready by June 2022". The Economic Times. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  23. ^ "Air India Express Flight Schedule". Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Akasa Air Flight Network". Akasa Air. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  25. ^ "Alliance Air to commence Guwahati-Dibrugarh service in Mar-2023". CAPA. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  26. ^ "Alliance Air Schedule". Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  27. ^ "9I737 Alliance Air Flight – Guwahati - Tezpur (GAU - TEZ)". Aviability.
  28. ^ "DRUKAIR INCREASES SINGAPORE SERVICE FROM AUGUST 2022". Aeroroutes. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  29. ^ "IndiGo to launch direct flights from Guwahati to Aizawl and Varanasi". NorthEast Now. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  30. ^ "IndiGo to launch flights to Bhubaneswar from Guwahati effective October 29". AviationAll. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  31. ^ "SpiceJet Flight Schedule". SpiceJet. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  32. ^ "SpiceJet to resume Guwahati-Bagdogra service from Feb-2023". CAPA. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  33. ^ a b "SpiceJet to resume flights to Kolkata and Patna from Guwahati effective Feb-2024". JetArena. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  34. ^ "Thai AirAsia to launch flights to Guwahati from December 1". AviationAll. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  35. ^ "Vistara Flight Schedule". www.airvistara.com. Retrieved 3 July 2021.

External links

Media related to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Wikimedia Commons