Cox's Bazar Airport
Cox's Bazar Airport  is a 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 services both local 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 air field 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 by the government of Bangladesh 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 underway. Once completed, it would 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 B777 or 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 feet. 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 feet 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
 On 9 March 2016 an Antonov An-26 of True Aviation crashed into the Bay of Bengal shortly after take-off.

See also
 List of airports in Bangladesh

References

External links

 Cox's Bazar Airport
 Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh: Airports

Airport
International airports in Bangladesh
World War II sites in Bangladesh
Airports established in 1956
1956 establishments in East Pakistan