Gautam Buddha International Airport

Siddharthanagar (Bhairahawa), Lumbini Province (Nepal)

IATA: BWA ICAO: VNBW

Longest Active Runway

9,843 ft

3,000 meters

Field Elevation

358 ft

109 m MSL

Runway Inventory

1 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

27.5046°, 83.4104°

LARGE AIRPORT

🏆

Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#627 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#1153 of 7558

Top 15.9% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Nepal)

#2 in NP

#2 of 23 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

-1.6%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Gautam Buddha International Airport's longest active runway measures 9,843 ft (3,000 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #627. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #1153 worldwide (Top 15.9%) and #2 nationally in Nepal.

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4D / 4E Heavy Intercontinental

⛰️

Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Lowland / Coastal Basin Aerodrome

Positioned at 358 ft (109 m MSL), this aerodrome operates near standard International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) sea-level air density. High ambient air pressure provides optimal turbine thrust conversion, maximum wing lift coefficients, and minimal ground roll distance requirements, allowing long-haul flights to depart at maximum structural takeoff weight limits without atmospheric density penalties.

🧭

Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

With no qualifying commercial facilities with paved runways ≥5,000 ft within a 100 NM radius, Gautam Buddha International Airport functions as an isolated regional aviation hub. Scheduled air services and transiting aircraft must calculate extended diversion reserves to alternate airfields outside the immediate 100 NM quadrant.

✈️

Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 9,843 ft (3,000 m)

At 9,843 ft (3,000 m), the primary runway comfortably accommodates mid-to-large twin-aisle widebody transports (such as the Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A330-900) as well as maximum-range narrowbody transcontinental configurations (Airbus A321XLR and Boeing 737 MAX 9) under typical atmospheric conditions.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
10/28	9,843 ft (3000m)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/bwa.json ↗