# Gaya Airport

Gaya International Airport (IATA: GAY, ICAO: VEGY) is an international airport serving Gaya, Bihar, India. It is located 12 km (7.5 mi) south-west of Gaya and 5 km (3.1 mi) from Bodh Gaya, from where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.

## Overview

The airport is spread over an area of 954 acres. The airport terminal building, spread over 7,500 square meters can handle 250 departure and 250 arrival passengers, two aerobridges and an apron capable for handling five Airbus A320 type aircraft. It is mainly seasonal and primarily caters to Buddhist tourists coming from South-East Asian countries from Thailand, Bhutan and Myanmar at present.
A January 2021 report by the Parliament of India described the IATA code as "inappropriate, unsuitable, offensive and embarrassing" for Gaya due to the city's religious significance. In its report, the Committee on Public Undertakings recommended changing the airport code from "GAY" to "YAG", asking the government to "make all efforts" to change the code. As of February 2022, IATA has rejected a code change, stating that airport codes are permanent unless a strong justification relating to air safety is given. LGBT groups in India have criticized the parliamentary committee's request as reflective of homophobia.
Gaya Airport also serves as the only place of Bihar from where Hajj pilgrims take direct flight to Jeddah and Madina in Saudi Arabia.

## Expansion

An additional 100 acres of land is under process for acquiring, while another 100 acres of land from four villages is to be acquired for runway expansion. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to develop the airport as a standby to Kolkata Airport. The then Minister of State for Civil Aviation, K.C. Venugopal, informed the Rajya Sabha on 2018 that AAI has requested the Government of Bihar for a further acquisition of around 200 acres to allow the airport to be expanded. The airport is to be expanded and upgraded with the construction of a new passenger terminal building which would replace the current terminal structure. Other expansion works include expanding runaway 10/28, and installation of CAT-I ILS approach system. In the future, a cargo terminal has also been planned to be built.

## Airlines and destinations

| Airlines | Destinations |
| Bhutan Airlines | Seasonal: Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Paro |
| Drukair | Seasonal: Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Paro |
| IndiGo | Delhi, Kolkata |
| Myanmar Airways International | Seasonal: Yangon |
| Myanmar National Airlines | Seasonal: Yangon |
| Thai AirAsia | Seasonal: Bangkok–Don Mueang |
| Thai Airways International | Seasonal: Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi |
| Thai VietJet Air | Seasonal: Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi |

## Statistics

Passenger and aircraft movements at Gaya Airport (2011-2022)
| Year | Passengers | Change | Aircraft movements | Change |
| 2021–22 | 47,311 | 32.1% | 625 | 20.7% |
| 2020–21 | 69,655 | 70.7% | 788 | 78.1% |
| 2019–20 | 237,452 | 16.1% | 3,606 | 96.1% |
| 2018–19 | 213,635 | 14.4% | 2,649 | 8.6% |
| 2017–18 | 186,670 | 5.1% | 2,439 | 11.2% |
| 2016–17 | 177,663 | 13.1% | 2,193 | 4.8% |
| 2015–16 | 157,144 | 22.0% | 2,093 | 28.0% |
| 2014–15 | 128,829 | 24.6% | 1,635 | 13.8% |
| 2013–14 | 102,212 | 16.5% | 1,437 | 5.6% |
| 2012–13 | 121,091 | 23.2% | 1,524 | 23.9% |
| 2011–12 | 98,273 | 94.0% | 1,230 | 108.5% |