| Kanpur Airport | |
| Iata: | KNU |
| Icao: | VECX |
| Pushpin Map: | India Uttar Pradesh#India |
| Pushpin Label: | KNU/VECX |
| Type: | Public/Military |
| Owner: | Airports Authority of India |
| Operator: | Airports Authority of India |
| City-Served: | Kanpur |
| Location: | Chakeri, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Elevation-F: | 410 |
| Elevation-M: | 126 |
| R1-Number: | 09/27 |
| R1-Length-F: | 12139 |
| R1-Length-M: | 3700 |
| R1-Surface: | Asphalt |
| Stat-Year: | April 2023 - March 2024 |
| Stat1-Header: | Passengers |
| Stat1-Data: | 284,314 (11.5%) |
| Stat2-Header: | Aircraft movements |
| Stat2-Data: | 2,089 (6.7%) |
| Stat3-Header: | Cargo tonnage |
| Stat3-Data: | 128 (13.6%) |
| Footnotes: | Source: AAI[1] [2] [3] |
Kanpur Airport, is a domestic airport and an Indian Air Force base that serves the city of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located at Chakeri, about from the city centre, and operates as a civil enclave within the Chakeri Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force. It provides connectivity to major tourist and historical attractions in the area such as Bithoor, Sankissa, Etawah Safari Park, Kalinjar Fort, Kalpi, National Chambal Sanctuary, Bhitargaon and Kannauj.
The previous terminal at Kanpur Airport had limited expansion options available and was subject to restrictions enforced by the Airports Authority of India due to a strong military presence. It was too small to handle the increasing traffic into Kanpur and projected future demand.[4] Therefore, a new terminal spread over 6,200 m². has been constructed near the threshold of the eastern end of the runway and to NH-19 through a new approach road.[5]
The new terminal comprises six hangars and a waiting room for 400 passengers, eight check-in desks, and four-lane approach roads to the nearby highway and to the outer ring road. It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, the Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia and the State Civil Aviation Minister, Nand Gopal Nandi, along with others in a ceremony at the airport on 26 May 2023. Flights from the new terminal began on 7 June 2023.[6] [7] [8]
It has been proposed to rename the airport the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Airport after Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi.[9] [10]
The Kanpur Airport hosts 1 Base Repair Depot and 4 Base Repair Depot under the Maintenance Command of the Indian Air Force. The 1 BRD overhauls Antonov An-32 transport aircraft fleet while 4 BRD overhauls R-29 engines of MiG-23 and MiG-27 and M53 P2 engines of Mirage 2000. The airport also hosts the Transport Aircraft Division (TAD) of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which previously produced HS 748 Avro and currently manufactures Dornier 228 for Indian Armed Forces as well as commercial market.[11] [12] [13]
It is the 5th most profitable airport in India in the year 2020–21.[14]