Biju Patnaik Airport

Biju Patnaik Airport is an international airport serving Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, India. It is situated around 4 km south-west of Bhubaneswar Railway Station and 6 km from the city center.

Named after Biju Patnaik, the former Chief Minister of Odisha and a famed aviator and freedom fighter, it is the 14th busiest airport in India and the 11th busiest among the airports maintained by the Airports Authority of India. It is the 18th busiest airport in India in terms of cargo traffic. In the fiscal year 2023-24, it handled over 4.6 million passengers and over 9.8 thousand metric tonnes of cargo.

History
The airport was dedicated to the people of Odisha on 17 April 1962, becoming the first ever commercial airport in the state. The airport boasts two active scheduled passenger terminals i.e. Terminals 1 and 2 for domestic and international passengers respectively.

In March 2013, the former Minister of Civil Aviation, Ajit Singh, inaugurated the Terminal 1, which caters to domestic passengers, whereas Terminal 2 was then refurbished to handle international operations. The Government of India accorded international status to the airport on 30 October 2013 after Air India started flights to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok and AirAsia started flights to Kuala Lumpur. However, these routes were terminated later due to Covid19. International operations recommenced from Bhubaneswar in May 2023 after IndiGo started direct flights to Bangkok, Dubai and Singapore. In May 2023, the airport opened a 4 MW solar plant, which switched it to a fully sustainable and energy-saving airport, by running entirely on renewable energy. In May 2024, AirAsia resumed international operations from the airport with flights to Kuala Lumpur.

Infrastructure
Biju Patnaik Airport serves as one of Eastern India's major civil aviation hubs. The airport boasts two actively scheduled passenger terminals, i.e., Terminals 1 and 2.

Terminal 1
Inaugurated in March 2013, the terminal has a capacity of 4 million passengers per annum and was built at a cost of ₹ 1.45 billion by Lanco Infratech. The AAI has developed the new terminal as part of the upgrade of 35 non-metro airports across the country. Terminal 1, a two-storied building with a total area of 18240 sqm, consists of 4 aerobridges, 4 elevators, several escalators, 18 check-in counters, 3 arrival luggage conveyors, a spa, and multiple seating areas. Apart from the Departure and Arrival Lounges, Terminal 1 also has several other lounges, including VIP Lounges, Pal Heights Spa Lounge, Dakota Lounge and Mayfair Lounge. The terminal is environment-friendly, built according to green building standards, with sewage treatment plants and provision for rain water harvesting. The internal walls of the terminal are decorated with tribal motifs, designs, masks, and sculptures derived from Odisha's culture. The new terminal also has food kiosks, gift shops, bookstores, art galleries and handloom/handicraft kiosks.

Terminal 2
Terminal 2 handles international operations. It was built in the mid-1960s to cater domestic flights. The terminal being built over an area of 6264 sqm, consists of 6 check-in counters, 10 immigration counters, 4 customs counters, numerous amenities and multiple seating areas. Constructed with a budget of 872 million, a link building connects Terminal 1 and 2, majorly used for domestic and international arrivals.

International Cargo Terminal
With an annual cargo handling capacity of 26,490 metric tonnes, the Biju Patnaik International Airport is one of the major Air Cargo hubs in Eastern India. Air cargo operations at the airport is managed by Airports Authority of India's Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited, i.e. the AAICLAS.

Runways
The airport has two intersecting runways, the primary runway 14/32 for all major operations, and the secondary runway 05/23 for light aircraft operations.

Coast Guard Air Enclave
Indian Coast Guard's Air Enclave along with its 743 Dornier Squadron was commissioned by former Vice-Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal, Director General of the Indian Coast Guard at the Biju Patnaik International Airport on 15 December 2014. The units operate under the operational and administrative control of the Commander of the Coast Guard Region (North East) through the Commander, Coast Guard District No 7 (Odisha). Several strategic air operations are streamlined and synergised for the protection of the sea areas off the Coastal Odisha.

Airlines and destinations
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Incidents

 * On 22 December 2007, while Surya Kiran, Indian Air Force's aerobatics demonstration team, was undergoing training exercise, one of its four HAL HJT-16 Kiran jets, after refueling and takeoff, caught fire and crash landed on the runway of Biju Patnaik Airport. The pilot was safely rescued with minor injuries and the exercise was immediately called off after the mishap.