Tezpur Airport (IATA: TEZ, ICAO: VETZ), also known as Salonibari Air Force Station, is a domestic airport and an Indian Air Force Station serving Tezpur, Assam, India. It is located in Salonibari, situated 8.5 km (5.3 mi) from the city centre.[4]

Tezpur Airport
Summary
Airport typeMilitary/Public
OwnerAirports Authority of India
OperatorIndian Air Force
ServesTezpur
LocationSalonibari, Tezpur, Assam, India
Elevation AMSL240 ft / 73 m
Coordinates26°42′44″N 092°47′14″E / 26.71222°N 92.78722°E / 26.71222; 92.78722
Map
TEZ is located in Assam
TEZ
TEZ
Location of Tezpur Airport in Assam
TEZ is located in India
TEZ
TEZ
TEZ (India)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
05/23 9,010 2,746 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2022 - March 2023)
Passengers4,024 (Decrease 17.8%)
Aircraft movements712 (Increase 71.2%)
Cargo tonnage
Source: AAI[1][2][3]

The airport covers an area of 22 acres, with the passenger terminal. The apron can accommodate one Airbus A320 and two ATR-72 aircraft.

History edit

During World War II, the Royal Indian Air Force built the runway at Tezpur in 1942. It was used by the United States Army Air Forces Tenth Air Force as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber base by the 7th Bombardment Group. After the war, it was converted into an air force base in 1959. The strategic location of the base has contributed to its importance. A variety of aircraft have operated from this location including de Havilland Vampire, Dassault Ouragan and MiG-21.[5]

Indian Air Force's No. 2 Squadron "Winged Arrows" and No. 106 Squadron "Lynx" operate Sukhoi Su-30MKI from here.[6][7][8]

Airlines and destinations edit

AirlinesDestinationsRefs.
Alliance Air Guwahati, Kolkata, Lilabari,[9] Pasighat, Shillong[10]
SpiceJet Kolkata [11]

Statistics edit

Annual passenger traffic at TEZ airport. See Wikidata query.

References edit

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Salonibari Airport". world-airport-codes.com. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  5. ^ "India to station 'Sukhoi-30 aircraft' at Tezpur airbase". The Economic Times. 9 June 2009.
  6. ^ "India Ordered, Modernized, Perhaps Regrets Su-30MKIs". defenseindustrydaily.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  7. ^ "IAF chief Dhanoa flies Mig-21 solo: A list of others in fighter planes". The Indian Express. 13 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Wreckage of missing Sukhoi-30 jet fighter found in Assam". The Economic Times. Press Trust of India. 26 May 2017.
  9. ^ "Alliance Air to commence Lilabari to Shillong and Tezpur flights from October 2022". Alliance Air. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Alliance Air timetable". Air India. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  11. ^ "SpiceJet Flight Schedule". Retrieved 25 June 2023.

External links edit