AirAsia to Launch Direct Cox’s Bazar-Penang Flights, Says Aviation Minister
Fresh prospects have emerged to transform Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh’s primary tourist destination, into an international travel hub. Low-cost Malaysian carrier AirAsia has confirmed plans to launch direct flights connecting Cox’s Bazar with Penang, Malaysia. Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat confirmed AirAsia’s commitment to the proposed Cox’s Bazar, Penang route to national news agency BSS, marking a major milestone ahead of the upcoming official launch of Cox’s Bazar International Airport.
The government aims to establish direct international air connectivity with the world’s longest natural sea beach by attracting foreign airlines alongside national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to officially inaugurate the upgraded facility later this month. To position the city as a regional tourism and aviation hub, the government is concurrently working to launch direct air routes to landlocked destinations, including the Cox’s Bazar-Kathmandu route, Kunming in China’s Yunnan province, and prospective destinations across the Middle East.
Highlighting the strategy to transition Cox’s Bazar into an international gateway, Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat stated, ‘We are planning to launch direct flights on the Cox’s Bazar-Kathmandu-Cox’s Bazar route. Efforts are also underway to establish direct air links with Kunming in China’s Yunnan province, aiming primarily to attract tourists from China’s southwestern and inland regions’. Although exact flight schedules and commencement dates were not disclosed, Mr. Millat described AirAsia’s commitment as a significant breakthrough resulting from major ongoing infrastructure investments and international carrier engagements.
Meanwhile, following operational preparation under the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), the newly constructed passenger terminal at Cox’s Bazar Airport officially commenced domestic operations on Monday. CAAB Member (Operations and Planning) Air Commodore Abu Sayeed Mehboob Khan explained the integrated operational framework: ‘The new terminal will initially serve domestic passengers until international operations commence, after which international arrival and departure procedures will take place at the new terminal, while domestic arrivals continue at the existing terminal’. Domestic check-in will occur at the new terminal before boarding at the old facility.
Constructed at a cost of approximately BDT 362.63 crore, the new international terminal spans nearly 17,956 square meters and features modern passenger amenities, including check-in counters, immigration facilities, security screening equipment, lifts, escalators, and boarding bridges. The expansion boosts the airport’s annual capacity from 7,30,000 to 1.8 million passengers. Additionally, CAAB extended the runway from 9,000 feet to 10,700 feet by reclaiming roughly 43 hectares from the Bay of Bengal, creating Bangladesh’s longest runway capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft for long-haul international flights.
The expansion is anticipated to drive foreign tourist arrivals, attract investments in hospitality and luxury resorts, and expand employment opportunities across the tourism sector. Emphasizing key requirements for commercial viability, Md. Rafeuzzaman, former president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), noted that regular foreign airline operations, reasonable airport fees, and comprehensive destination development will be essential to sustain Cox’s Bazar as an international destination. Industry experts added that converting initial airline interest into scheduled international service remains the immediate priority.
