Arshelina at 19:18, 4 May 2026

2026-05-04T19:18:23Z

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{{short description|Airport in Manipur, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox airport
| nativename-a =
| nativename-r =
| caption =
| location = Tulihal, Imphal, [[Manipur]], [[India]]
| metric-elev = yes
| elevation-m = 774
| coordinates = {{Coord|24|45|36|N|093|53|48|E|type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_label = '''IMF'''
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
| metric-rwy = Yes
| name = Bir Tikendrajit International Airport
| image = Imphal airport.jpg
| image-width = 300
| IATA = IMF
| ICAO = VEIM
| pushpin_map = India Manipur#India
| type = Public
| owner = [[Government of Manipur]]
| operator = [[Airports Authority of India]]
| owner-oper =
| city-served = [[Imphal]]
| elevation-f = 2,540
| website = {{URL|https://www.aai.aero/en/airports/imphal|Imphal Airport}}
| r1-number = 04/22
| r1-length-m = 2,746
| stat-year = April 2024 - March 2025
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 1,406,227 ({{increase}} 10.3%)
| stat2-header = Aircraft movements
| stat2-data = 12,385 ({{decrease}} 3.7%)
| stat3-header = Cargo tonnage
| stat3-data = 6,199 ({{increase}} 38.5%)
| footnotes = Source: [[Airports Authority of India|AAI]]<ref name="AAI3">{{cite web|title=Annexure III – Passenger Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex3.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=26 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex2.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=26 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex4.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=26 April 2025}}</ref>
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in Manipur
}}

'''Bir Tikendrajit International Airport'''{{efn|"Bir Tikendrajit International Airport" is named after [[Tikendrajit Singh|Bir Tikendrajit]] ([[Meitei language|Meitei name]]: ''Athouba Koirengsana''), a [[Meitei people|Meitei prince]] of the [[Ningthouja dynasty]] of [[Manipur Kingdom]]}}<ref>{{Cite news |title=Renaming of Imphal Int'l Airport evokes reactions; orgs. demand revocation of resolution - Eastern Mirror |url=https://easternmirrornagaland.com/renaming-of-imphal-intl-airport-evokes-reactions-orgs-demand-revocation-of-resolution/ |access-date=29 August 2022 |work=Eastern Mirror Nagaland |date=30 August 2019 |archive-date=28 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828161507/https://easternmirrornagaland.com/renaming-of-imphal-intl-airport-evokes-reactions-orgs-demand-revocation-of-resolution/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Bir Tikendrajit International Airport Opposition raised against new name |url=https://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Encyc/2019/8/29/By-Our-Staff-ReporterIMPHAL-Aug-28-Expressing-disappointment-at-the-renaming-of-Tulihal-International-Airport-as-Bir-Tikendrajit-International-Airport-the-Indigenous-People-s-Association-of-Kangl.amp.html |access-date=29 August 2022 |work=The Sangai Express |date=29 August 2019 |archive-date=28 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828163302/https://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Encyc/2019/8/29/By-Our-Staff-ReporterIMPHAL-Aug-28-Expressing-disappointment-at-the-renaming-of-Tulihal-International-Airport-as-Bir-Tikendrajit-International-Airport-the-Indigenous-People-s-Association-of-Kangl.amp.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ([[IATA]]: '''IMF,''' [[ICAO]]: '''VEIM'''), also known as '''Imphal Airport''',{{efn|"Imphal International Airport" is the most common name but not the official name of the airport. It is called so because it is located in the [[Imphal]] city of [[Manipur]].}} and formerly known as '''Tulihal International Airport''',{{efn|"Tulihal International Airport" is named after "Ebudhou Tulihal", a [[Sanamahism|Meitei]] guardian deity of the area where the airport is located.}} is an [[international airport]] serving [[Imphal]], the capital of [[Manipur]], [[India]], located 7 km south from the city centre. It is the second-largest and the third-busiest airport in [[Northeast India]] after [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport]] in [[Guwahati]] and [[Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport]] in [[Agartala]]. The airport had functioned as an all-weather Royal Air Force (RAF) base during World War II. It replaced civilian operations from [[Koirengei Airfield]] in 1959.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Retd Lt Col M Ranjit Singh |url= https://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=news_section.opinions.Koirengei_Airfield_From_airfield_to_a_historical_site_or_a_parking_space_By_M_Ranjit |title= Koirengei Airfield: From airfield to a historical site or a parking space? |website=e-pao.net |access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref>

== Development ==
In June 2019, [[Airport Authority of India|Airports Authority of India]] (AAI) implemented {{INRConvert|3400|c}} projects for the upgrading of various airports in the northeastern region. {{INRConvert|720|c}} will be spent further upgrading of Imphal Airport.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/agartala-airport-to-be-3rd-international-airport-in-northeast/articleshow/69836963.cms|title=Agartala airport to be 3rd international airport in northeast|newspaper=Economic Times|access-date=20 June 2019|date=18 June 2019}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The project includes a {{INRConvert|600|c}} integrated terminal building and airside infrastructure like new aircraft parking bays (areas at an airport where aircraft can be parked, unloaded, loaded, refuelled, boarded, or maintained) and link taxiways, a new [[Air traffic control|Air Traffic Control]] (ATC) tower and a control and technical block.<ref name="TH1">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/kitco-to-set-up-new-terminal-building-at-imphal-airport/article26580342.ece|title=Kitco to set up new terminal building at Imphal airport|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=11 November 2019|date=19 March 2019|archive-date=21 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221083702/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/kitco-to-set-up-new-terminal-building-at-imphal-airport/article26580342.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>

The new terminal building will have an area of 28,125 sq.m. to handle 1,200 peak hour passengers (200 international & 1,000 domestic), an apron with four [[aerobridges]] and eight parking bays for [[Airbus A321]] type aircraft, two link taxiways, and an ATC tower.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 April 2022 |title=4 Bidders for Imphal Airport's New Terminal Contract |url=https://themetrorailguy.com/2022/04/22/4-bidders-for-imphal-airports-new-terminal-contract/ |access-date=23 April 2022 |website=The Metro Rail Guy |language=en-US |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423033516/https://themetrorailguy.com/2022/04/22/4-bidders-for-imphal-airports-new-terminal-contract/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Airlines and destinations ==

{{Airport-dest-list

|{{nowrap|[[Air India Express]]}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Air India Express Flight Schedule|url=https://www.airindiaexpress.com/flight-schedule|access-date=22 May 2023|archive-date=22 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522080017/https://www.airindiaexpress.com/flight-schedule|url-status=live}}</ref> |[[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]], [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|Guwahati]], [[Bagdogra Airport|Siliguri]]

|[[Alliance Air (India)|Alliance Air]]| [[Lengpui Airport|Aizawl]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Three new flights connecting Assam, Arunachal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram launched; check schedule|url=https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/three-new-flights-connecting-assam-arunachal-meghalaya-manipur-mizoram-launched-check-schedule/ar-AA13xvZQ|work=Times Now|date=30 October 2022|access-date=30 October 2022|language=en|archive-date=30 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030145038/https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/three-new-flights-connecting-assam-arunachal-meghalaya-manipur-mizoram-launched-check-schedule/ar-AA13xvZQ|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Dimapur Airport|Dimapur]], [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|Guwahati]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airindia.in/alliance-air.htm|title=Alliance Air Schedule|publisher=[[Alliance Air (India)|Alliance Air]]|access-date=2 April 2021|archive-date=9 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109041931/http://www.airindia.in/alliance-air.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport|Kolkata]], [[Silchar Airport|Silchar]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Alliance Air Flags Off Silchar–Imphal Flight Service: 30 Passengers To Reach Destination In 35 Mins|url=https://www.barakbulletin.com/en_US/alliance-air-flags-off-silchar-imphal-flight-service-30-passengers-to-reach-destination-in-35-mins/|work=Barak Bulletin|date=25 November 2022|access-date=26 November 2022|language=en|archive-date=26 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126062917/https://www.barakbulletin.com/en_US/alliance-air-flags-off-silchar-imphal-flight-service-30-passengers-to-reach-destination-in-35-mins/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Tezu Airport|Tezu]]<ref name="Alliance Air inaugurates Tezu-Imphal-Tezu route under the RCS UDAN Scheme on 18th Oct’24">{{cite web|url=https://x.com/ImphalAPD/status/1847236931895365984|title=Alliance Air inaugurates Tezu-Imphal-Tezu route under the RCS UDAN Scheme on 18th Oct'24|work=Twitter|accessdate=19 October 2024}}</ref>

|[[IndiGo]]|[[Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport|Agartala]], [[Kempegowda International Airport|Bangalore]], [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goindigo.in/information/new-flights.html|title=New Flights Information, Status & Schedule | IndiGo|website=www.goindigo.in|access-date=4 March 2020|archive-date=31 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331083931/https://www.goindigo.in/information/new-flights.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|Guwahati]], [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport|Kolkata]], [[Shillong Airport|Shillong]]<ref name="Shillong New Flights">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/aaishillong/status/1376519517371658242/photo/1|title=Shillong Airport new flights schedule|work=Twitter|accessdate=31 March 2021|archive-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513043809/https://twitter.com/aaishillong/status/1376519517371658242/photo/1|url-status=live}}</ref>

|{{nowrap|[[Mingalar Aviation Services]]}}|'''Charter:''' [[Mandalay International Airport|Mandalay]]{{cn|date=September 2025}}


== Statistics ==
===Busiest flights===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:89%; align=center;"
|+ '''Busiest flights out of Imphal per weekly, as of 20 May 2025.'''<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/imf | title=Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map }}</ref>
|- style="background:darkgrey;"
! |Rank|| |Destinations|| |Frequency (weekly)
|-
|1
|[[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|Guwahati]]
|37
|-
|2
||[[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport|Kolkata]]
|36
|-
|3
|[[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]]
|11
|-
|4
|[[Dibrugarh Airport|Dibrugarh]]
|7
|-
|5
|[[Agartala Airport|Agartala]]
|4
|-
|6
|[[Lengpui Airport|Aizawl]]
|4
|-
|7
|[[Shillong Airport|Shillong]]
|3
|-
|8
|[[Dimapur Airport|Dimapur]]
|2
|-
|9
|[[Silchar Airport|Silchar]]
|2
|-
|}

== Accidents and incidents ==
* On 16 August 1991, [[Indian Airlines Flight 257]] crashed while on approach to the airport, killing all 69 people on board.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19910816-1|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-2A8 Advanced VT-EFL Imphal Municipal Airport (IMF)|last=Ranter|first=Harro|website=aviation-safety.net|access-date=19 July 2019|archive-date=6 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106192139/https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19910816-1|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Trilingual signboard in the Imphal International Airport (Tulihal International Airport) displaying in Meitei, Hindi and English languages.jpg|A [[trilingual]] signboard in the airport displaying in [[Meitei language|Meitei]] (officially called [[Manipuri language|Manipuri]]), Hindi and English
File:A Child Care Room in the Imphal International Airport, showing multilingualism of Meitei, Hindi and English.jpg|A Child Care Room in the Imphal International Airport with a signboard in [[Meitei language|Meitei]], [[Hindi]] and [[English language|English]] languages, showing official [[multilingualism in India]]
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Kangla Helipad]] ([[Manung Kangjeibung]])
* [[Kakching#Aerodrome|Kakching Aerodrome]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

== External links ==
{{commons-inline}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121009062805/http://www.aai.aero/allAirports/imphal_gen.jsp Imphal Airport] at the [[Airports Authority of India]]

{{Portalbar|India|Aviation}}
{{Airports in India}}
{{USAAF 10th Air Force World War II}}

[[Category:Airports in Manipur]]
[[Category:International airports in India]]
[[Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in British India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Imphal]]
[[Category:World War II sites in India]]
[[Category:Transport in Imphal]]
[[Category:Airports with year of establishment missing]]
[[Category:Airports Authority of India]]

Bir Tikendrajit International Airport - Revision history

Arshelina at 19:18, 4 May 2026