Cox’s Bazar airport begins trial operations at new terminal

Trial flight operations began at the newly built terminal of Cox’s Bazar Airport on Monday (September 28), marking a major step in the ongoing modernisation of the country’s premier tourist gateway.

A Novoair flight carrying 70 passengers departed for Dhaka at 8:45AM, becoming one of the first flights to operate through the new terminal.

An Air Astra flight and a US-Bangla Airlines flight followed at around 8:50AM.

The airport has been undergoing a major upgrade for several years as part of a government plan to develop Cox’s Bazar into an international aviation hub and support the region’s tourism industry.

The centerpiece of the project is a 1,700-foot extension of the airport’s runway into the sea, which is expected to significantly enhance the airport’s operational capacity.

The modernisation project began on August 29, 2021, at a cost of Tk 1,868 crore. Besides the new terminal building, the project includes the addition of modern aviation infrastructure and other facilities.

Airport authorities expect the newly extended runway to become fully operational in October, potentially paving the way for expanded flight operations to and from the popular tourist destination.