Allahabad Airport

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Allahabad Airport
Allahabad Airport Terminal New.jpg
  • IATA: IXD
  • ICAO: VEAB
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/Public
OwnerIndian Air Force
OperatorAirports Authority of India / Indian Air Force
ServesAllahabad
LocationBamrauli
Elevation AMSL322 ft / 98 m
Coordinates25°26′24″N 81°44′02″E / 25.44000°N 81.73389°E / 25.44000; 81.73389Coordinates: 25°26′24″N 81°44′02″E / 25.44000°N 81.73389°E / 25.44000; 81.73389
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
Map
IXD is located in Uttar Pradesh
IXD
IXD
Location in Uttar Pradesh
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12/30 8,400 2,560 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2018 – December 2019)
Passengers294091 (Increase266.8%)
Aircraft movements8030(Increase110.3.6%)
Sources: Statistics from AAI[1][2]

Allahabad Airport (IATA: IXD, ICAO: VEAB), officially known as Prayagraj Airport, is a military airbase and public airport serving the city of Prayagraj, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in Bamrauli, 12 km (7.5 mi) from Allahabad city and serves domestic flights. It is one of the oldest airports in India. The airport is jointly operated by the Indian Air Force and Airports Authority of India.

History[]

In 1911, on 18th February the domestic commercial aviation took birth in India where Henri Piquet flew a Humber bi-plane carrying mail from Allahabad (from a polo field) to Naini, which is approximately six miles away.[3] The airport at Allahabad was built in 1919, with dedicated airfield whose construction was completed in 1924. It was among the first four international airports of the country. It catered to international flights till 1946, with direct services to London till 1932.[4][5]

In 1931, the aerodrome at Allahabad was set up and the foundation for Air Traffic control services was laid with the appointment of an Indian Aerodrome Officer, specially trained at the airport in the UK.[6] In July 1933, Imperial Airways commenced the operation of its flight on the Karachi-Jodhpur-Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Kolkata route, which ran until June 1940.[7] The airfield at Bamrauli was also used as one of the five compulsory stops of the MacRobertson Trophy Air Race which took place in October 1934.[8]

From 1941 to the early 2000s, the airport did not cater to any regular commercial flight services. In early months of 2003, Air Sahara became the first carrier to re-introduce services at the airport with connectivity to cities like Delhi and Kolkata.[9] However, the services soon became defunct following economic crisis. In 2005, Alliance Air (a regional connectivity subsidiary under Air India) started its Allahabad-Delhi flight service on the ATR-72 fleet, which continues to be operational to this date, with minor non-operational periods in between. In 2013, SpiceJet introduced its operation in the Delhi-Allahabad sector, along with Alliance Air commencing its Allahabad-Mumbai flight, both of which were closed down due to non-availability of ILS and Night Landing facility at the airport after running for a few months.[10][11]

Seeking limited operational and structural facilities, construction of a new civilian terminal and installation of ILS system on existing runway began in January 2018.[12] The newly constructed terminal was opened to public in January 2019 and since then is serving regular flight operations at Allahabad.[13]

Structure[]

Runway[]

The airport is served by a single runway 12/30, which is 2,560 meters (8,400 ft) long and 45 meters (148 ft) wide.[14]

Landing amenities[]

The airport has ILS CAT-I compliant for landing during the night, bad weather and foggy conditions.[15][non-primary source needed] The Instrument Landing System was installed during 2018–2019 expansion phase, along with construction of the new terminal. Other than enhancing safety for landing of flights in visibility as low as 550 meters, the installation of ILS finally allowed the airport to operate flights at night.[16]

New terminal[]

Construction of the new terminal began in January 2018 and was completed in December 2018. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The terminal was constructed for ₹164 crore (US$22 million).[17][12] A total of 83 acres (34 ha) was allocated for the construction of this terminal.[13]

The terminal is 6700 square meter; has a peak hour capacity of 300 passengers and four aircraft parking bays for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.[18][17]

The building has an electric operated trolley gate on the link taxi track to segregate the operational area of Airports Authority of India and Indian Air Force. There has been use of fly ash bricks; double insulated door and the building is equipped with water harvesting and has a sewage treatment plant of its own.[19]

Phase 2 extension[]

In February 2021, it was reported that there are plans for complete makeover of the civil enclave of Allahabad in Bamrauli in terms of size and the facilities. The AAI proposed an increase in the airport area twice its current size, with the present building of the airport being expanded on both sides, keeping the terminal same. It will also include increasing the size of lounge, the number of aprons and the possibility to add two more aero-bridges.[20]

Airlines and destinations[]

AirlinesDestinations
Alliance AirBilaspur, Delhi[21]
IndiGo Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Dehradun, Delhi, Gorakhpur, Indore, Mumbai, Pune, Raipur[22]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Traffic News for the month of December 2019: Annexure-III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 1 January 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Traffic News for the month of December 2019: Annexure-II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 1 January 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  3. ^ "India and the World's First Official Air Mail by Airplane". Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  4. ^ "One hundred years of flying high". 31 October 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  5. ^ "No headway: With no ILS in place, flight delays continue". 10 December 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  6. ^ Publications Division (2016). Indian forty Years of Independence. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. p. 163. ISBN 978-81-230-2634-3.
  7. ^ Robin Higham (2013). Speedbird: The Complete History of BOAC. I.B.Tauris. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-85773-334-4.
  8. ^ "De Panderjager uitgebrand in Allahabad". AviaCrash.nl. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Air Sahara inducts maiden Canadian jet – First flight on 28 February". thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Spicejet begins Delhi Allahabad Daily services". thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Alliance Air to launch 3 new flights from Mumbai". thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Allahabad to get India's fastest-built airport terminal building! Here is what AAI is planning". financialexpress.com. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Allahabad airport terminal: Allahabad airport may get new terminal before January 2019 Ardh Kumbh – The Economic Times". M.economictimes.com. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  14. ^ "UP: Environmental Impact Assessment Study Allahabad Airport" (PDF). Airports Authority of India/Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Allahabad Airport". Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  16. ^ "UP: Bamrauli airport to get night landing facility before Kumbh". Hindustan Times. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  17. ^ a b "PM inaugurates Prayagraj airport in Allahabad". @businessline. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  18. ^ "AAI approved list of Agencies for "Development of New Civil Enclave at Allahabad Airport" – Design & Build (EPC) | AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA". Aai.aero. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  19. ^ Sinha, Saurabh (15 December 2018). "Allahabad airport gets new passenger terminal & more aircraft bays ahead of Kumbh". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  20. ^ "New flights, bigger space: Civil enclave set to expand". The Times of India. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Alliance Air Schedule". www.airindia.in. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  22. ^ "New Flights Information, Status & Schedule | IndiGo". www.goindigo.in.

External links[]

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