Bagdogra Airport is also known as Civil Aerodrome Bagdogra. It is basically a military airport also open to civilian flights. Bagdogra Airport is located at a distance of 16 kilometres from Siliguri in northern West Bengal, India. Bagdogra airport serves as the major airport in this region. It is well connected with Calcutta, New Delhi and Guwahati. Bagdogra Airport each year receives thousands of tourists who visit the hill stations of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and the state of Sikkim.
An aerodrome is also present, from where helicopter fly regularly to Gangtok, capital of Sikkim. The airport also provides facilities to foreign tourists who seek permits to enter Sikkim. Indian Air Force`s No. 20 Wing is situated here- at the airport. The No. 8 Squadron flying Mig-21 FL fighter aircraft and a Helicopter Unit are also based here. Along with the airbase at Hashimara, it is accountable for combat air operations over a vast area including North Bengal, Sikkim and if necessary,Bhutan. In the recent past the Air Force however reduced their activities in this airport.
An Indian Army Sub-Area and a Base Hospital are based a few kilometres away in Bengdubi. The base is also important as it plies to all military air traffic for the Indian Army`s XXXIII Corps based closeby in Sukna. There is also an Indian Army Aviation Helicopter Squadron situated at a distance of 15 kilometeres in Sevoke, flying HAL Chetak helicopters. Air Deccan (Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata); Air India IC (Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata); Jet Airways (Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata); Kingfisher Airlines (Kolkata); SpiceJet (Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai) are the domestic airlines catering to the Bagdogra Airport.
