Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport

Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (IATA: VNS, ICAO: VEBN) is an international airport located at Babatpur,[4] 26 km (16 mi) northwest of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Formerly known as Varanasi Airport, it was officially renamed after Lal Bahadur Shastri, the 2nd Prime Minister of India, in October 2005.[5] It is India's 20th-busiest airport in terms of passenger movement and second-busiest airport in Uttar Pradesh.

Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGovernment of India
OperatorAirports Authority of India
ServesVaranasi
LocationBabatpur
Elevation AMSL270 ft / 82 m
Coordinates25°27′08″N 082°51′34″E
Websitewww.aai.aero/en/airports/varanasi
Map
VNS
VNS
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 2,745 9,006 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2019 - March 2020)
Passengers3,010,702 ( 8.1%)
Aircraft Movements24,056 ( 10.3%)
Cargo Tonnage3,580 ( 34.7%)
International Passengers231,730 ( 16.6%)
Source: AAI[1][2][3]

Terminal

An integrated terminal serves both domestic and international flights, with a floor area of 3,900 square metres (42,000 square feet).[6] The terminal features 16 check-in counters with CUTE (common-user terminal equipment), four immigration counters that double up as emigration counters, and two baggage-claim belts.[7] Besides an upper-level seating area for the aero-bridge gates, the terminal features a ground-level gate to reach other aircraft on the apron on foot, or via shuttle bus.[7] The apron can simultaneously park five narrow-body aircraft.[8] The waiting area features essential services for the passengers, besides snack stalls, a travellers' convenience store, a bookstore with a newsstand, and stores selling merchandise indigenous to Varanasi, such as Banarasi Saris; and a VIP waiting lounge.[9]

Replica of Varanasi ghats at Varanasi Airport

Airfield

The airport features a single asphalt runway bearing 09/27. It is 9,006 feet (2,745 m) in length, with turnarounds on both ends, and two exits to the main apron.[7] A third, seldom-used exit leads to an isolated apron for use in emergency.[7]

An IndiGo aircraft being serviced by an aerobridge at Varanasi Airport

Airlines and destinations
Air India Express aircraft at Varanasi Airport
AirlinesDestinations
Air India Colombo–Bandaranaike, Dehradun,[10] Delhi, Gaya, Khajuraho, Kolkata, Mumbai[11]
Air India Express Sharjah[12]
Alliance Air Bhubaneswar, Lucknow[13][14]
Buddha Air Kathmandu[15]
GoAir Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai[16]
IndiGo Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati,[17] Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai[18][19]
Malindo Air Kuala Lumpur–International[20]
SpiceJetAhmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, Surat[21]
Thai AirAsia Bangkok–Don Mueang[22]
Thai Smile Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Gaya[23]
Vistara Delhi, Mumbai[24][25]

Future plans

Due to increasing passenger traffic and aircraft movements the Airports Authority of India is planning to extend the runway to 4,075 m (13,369 ft) from the existing 2,750 m (9,020 ft). An underpass will be constructed as the expansion will intersect with National Highway 31.[26]

In November 2019, the Airports Authority of India came up with a proposal for a new airport terminal, which will be completed by the year 2024. The total area of the terminal will be 58,691 m² with passenger capacity of 4.5 million per year.[27]

See also

References
  1. "Traffic News for the month of March 2020: Annexure-III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 21 May 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  2. "Traffic News for the month of March 2020: Annexure-II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 21 May 2020. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  3. "Traffic News for the month of March 2020: Annexure-IV" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. 21 May 2020. p. 3. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  4. "Varanasi". Airports Authority of India. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  5. "Varanasi Airport renamed". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 20 October 2005.. It acquired its position in India's major airports after more than 1.5 million passengers used the airport in 2017.
  6. "Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport or Varanasi Airport (VNS)".
  7. "Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport or Varanasi Airport (VNS)". AAI. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  8. "Varanasi Airport (VNS), Varanasi International Airport | IndiGo". www.goindigo.in. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  9. "Shopping". AAI. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  10. "Air India to begin Varanasi-Dehradun flights from September 28". India TV. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  11. "Time Table". www.airindia.in. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  12. "Express Route Map and Schedule - Air India Express". www.airindiaexpress.in.
  13. "Alliance Air Bhubaneswar to Varanasi flight schedule". Air India. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  14. "Flight Services From Jharsuguda To Varanasi Via Bhubaneswar From Jan 31; Booking Open". Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  15. "Flight Routes - Buddha air - Buddha Air is one of the leading airlines company in Nepal". www.buddhaair.com.
  16. "GoAir to commence Mumbai-Varanasi service in Mar-2020". CAPA. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  17. "IndiGo to start daily flights on six UDAN routes in next two months". Economic Times. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  18. "Flights Schedule for Domestic & International Flights | IndiGo". www.goindigo.in. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  19. "New Flights of IndiGo". IndiGo. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  20. "Malindo Air NS19 International service changes as of 18 FEB 19". Routesonline. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  21. "SpiceJet's Flights Schedule & Information for Domestic & International Flight". spicejet.com. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  22. "Thai AirAsia to launch Varanasi to Bangkok flights from November 2019". AirAsia Newsroom. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  23. "Thai Smile Bookings".
  24. "Vistara Flight Destinations (Network) in India - Route Map". www.airvistara.com.
  25. "Vistara adds Khajuraho flights". Vistara. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  26. "UP airport 1st to have national highway under runway - Times of India". The Times of India.
  27. "गंगा की लहरों व शिवलिंग सा होगा वाराणसी एलबीएस इंटरनेशनल एयरपोर्ट टर्मिनल, डिजाइन तैयार". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). 10 November 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2020.

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