Saidpur Airport সৈয়দপুর বিমানবন্দর
IATA: SPD ICAO: VGSD
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh
Serves	Saidpur, & Rangpur
Location	Saidpur, Nilphamari
Elevation AMSL	125 ft / 38 m
Coordinates	25°45′33″N 088°54′31″E / 25.75917°N 88.90861°E / 25.75917; 88.90861
Website	caab.gov.bd
Map
SPD Location of airport in Bangladesh
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 16/34 6,000 1,829 Asphalt
Statistics (January 2018 – January 2019)
Passengers 3,12,840
Source:[1]

Saipur Airport (Bengali: সৈয়দপুর বিমানবন্দর, romanized: Saiẏadapur bimānabandar) (IATA: SPD, ICAO: VGSD) is a domestic airport located in Saidpur, in the Nilphamari district of northern Bangladesh.

Saidpur is a city of Nilphamari district in Rangpur division, and Saidpur Airport is one of the northernmost airport in country. It started its journey as a domestic airport in 1979, and now handles roughly 30 flights daily on the Dhaka-Saidpur-Dhaka route.^[2] The city was established based on the Saidpur railway workshop established in 1870 by the British Colonial regime, which was the major railway workshop for Assam-Bengal railway. Saidpur gradually became an important communication hub for adjoining major district headquarters. The city is the commercial hub for the surrounding districts.^{[citation needed]}

The airport is currently undergoing major upgrades and expansion, and is expected to serve international flights between Nepal and Bangladesh, to strengthen trade and tourism between the two countries. After this upgrade, it will make this airport the fifth international airport of Bangladesh.^{[citation needed]}

Airlines and destinations

There are currently 4 airlines operating to Saidpur. The airlines operate regional turbo-prop aircraft, namely the ATR 72 and Bombardier DHC-8-400.

Flights to Nepal

In February 2020, the governments of Bangladesh and Nepal began negotiations to allow Nepal to operate flights directly to Saidpur from Nepal to strengthen the trade between the two countries, and attract tourism.^[9] As of March 2021, direct international flights to either Biratnagar or Bhadrapur Airport in Eastern Nepal from Saidpur have been proposed, pending completion of the currently ongoing upgrade and expansion of Saidpur Airport.^[10]

Upgrade and expansion

In 2018, the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry has started the work for expanding Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari to upgrade it to international standards. For the continuation of expansion work, the ministry has acquired 912 acres (369 ha) of land from Saidpur municipality and from Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur. The current runway will be expanded to 12,000 feet (3,700 m) from 6,000 feet (1,800 m), making it one of the longest runways in the country.^[11][12][13]

Accidents and Incidents

• On 4 September 2015, US-Bangla Airlines Flight BS-151 inbound from Dhaka, operated by a Bombardier DHC-8-400 registration S2-AGU, sustained minor damage to its right hand main landing gear after it went off of the paved surface while making the backtrack to the terminal after landing. There were no injuries reported from the incident, and the aircraft was able to operate the return flight BS-152 safely after being towed to the apron, with an 8-hour delay.^[14] The aircraft was later involved in US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211, which crashed in Kathmandu.
• On 25 October 2017, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines Bombardier DHC-8-400 registration S2-AGR, operating as Flight BG-494 from Saidpur to Dhaka, lost its right main landing gear during the initial take off climb when the wheel separated from the aircraft and fell to the ground below. The flight continued to Dhaka and landed safely after performing a low approach to have the landing gear inspected from the ground.^[15]
• On 17 November 2021, a Novoair ATR 72 registration S2-AHF, operating as Flight VQ-967 from Dhaka to Saidpur, suffered a failed nose landing gear during landing. No injuries were reported.^[16][17]