Cox’s Bazar airport begins trial operations at new terminal
Cox’s Bazar Airport Opens New Terminal for Trial Flights
Thebangladaily.com – Cox’s Bazar Airport has taken an important step in its long-running expansion programme, with trial flight operations beginning from its newly constructed terminal on Monday, September 28. The start of the testing phase signals that a major part of the airport modernisation effort is moving closer to regular use.
A Novoair service carrying 70 passengers left Cox’s Bazar for Dhaka at 8:45AM, placing it among the first flights handled through the new terminal. Two more departures followed shortly afterward, with Air Astra and US-Bangla Airlines flights operating at approximately 8:50AM.
The trial activity provides an early working test for the new passenger facilities as airlines, airport staff and travellers begin using the upgraded terminal environment. It also marks visible progress for a project intended to strengthen the aviation infrastructure serving Bangladesh’s best-known beach destination.
A Project Linked to Tourism and International Ambitions
Cox’s Bazar Airport has been under development for several years under a government initiative aimed at preparing the area for a broader aviation role. The project is designed to support tourism in the region while developing the airport’s capacity as a future international aviation hub.
Cox’s Bazar is already a significant domestic travel destination, and air connectivity plays an important role for passengers travelling between the coastal district and Dhaka. A modern terminal and improved airport facilities can help create a more suitable setting for growing flight activity, particularly as the destination continues to require reliable transport links for visitors and local travellers.
The terminal is only one element of the wider plan. The scheme also includes modern aviation infrastructure and other supporting facilities, forming part of a larger effort to improve the airport rather than simply replace or enlarge its passenger building.
The modernisation programme formally began on August 29, 2021. Its reported cost is Tk 1,868 crore, reflecting the scale of the investment being made in the airport’s future capability.
Runway Extension Is Central to the Upgrade
The most prominent component of the project is a 1,700-foot extension of the runway into the sea. This addition is expected to substantially increase the airport’s operational capacity and is central to the plan to accommodate expanded aviation activity at Cox’s Bazar.
Airport authorities expect the extended runway to be fully operational in October. Once it enters service, the runway could create the conditions for a wider range of flights to and from Cox’s Bazar, a development that would be significant for a destination seeking stronger air connections.
A runway extension affects more than the physical length available for aircraft. Together with terminal upgrades and modern aviation facilities, it forms part of the operational foundation needed for an airport to handle increased activity. The success of the wider project will therefore depend on the different elements being brought into use effectively as the work progresses.
The sea-facing runway work has also made the Cox’s Bazar project one of the more distinctive airport development efforts in the country. Its purpose is tied directly to the airport’s capacity ambitions and to the objective of improving access to the region.
What the Trial Phase Means
Trial operations do not mean that every part of an expansion has necessarily reached its final stage, but they are an important practical milestone. Flights using the new terminal allow airport operations to be tested in a live environment, including passenger movement, airline handling and coordination between operational teams.
For passengers, the first trial departures offer an indication of how the new terminal may soon fit into normal travel through Cox’s Bazar. For airlines, the opening provides a new facility at a route point that is closely connected with domestic tourism and travel between the capital and the coast.
The departures by Novoair, Air Astra and US-Bangla Airlines showed that multiple carriers were involved from the beginning of the trial period. Novoair’s 8:45AM flight to Dhaka, carrying 70 passengers, was followed within minutes by the two other airline operations, creating an early demonstration of activity at the new building.
As the project moves toward the expected October activation of the extended runway, attention will remain on how the terminal, runway and related infrastructure work together. The combined upgrade is intended to give Cox’s Bazar Airport greater operational strength and help support its planned role in the country’s aviation and tourism landscape.
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