Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport


Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport is a public airport located at Babatpur, 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. It is India's 20th-busiest airport in terms of passenger movement and second-busiest airport in Uttar Pradesh.

Terminal

An integrated terminal serves both domestic and international flights, with a floor area of. The terminal features 16 check-in counters with CUTE, four immigration counters that double up as emigration counters, and two baggage-claim belts. 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. The apron can simultaneously park five narrow-body aircraft. 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.

Airfield

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

Airlines and destinations

Future plans

Due to increasing passenger traffic and aircraft movements the Airports Authority of India is planning to extend the runway to from the existing . An underpass will be constructed as the expansion will intersect with National Highway 31.
In November 2019, the Airport Authority of India has come 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.