Bagdogra airport has been around for a long time. It started off as an air force base to guard the ’’Siliguri neck’’ and the civil section has been gradually extended.
Facilities are OK for the volume of traffic. Most major airlines including Air Deccan fly here. There are several flights a day to Delhi, Kolkata, Gauhati and other places in the Northeast.
One major flaw is the lack of places for snacks. The only place is a regular restaurant.
Most passengers here would be heading for Siliguri (about 10 km away), Darjeeling and Gangtok. It is possible to get taxis for the faraway destinations, otherwise one can go to the Siliguri bus stand for onward journeys. It is also possible to fly to Gangtok on a puny little 5-seat helicopter. The local tourist departments and some hotels have help desks in the arrival hall.
Traffic to and from Siliguri can be problematic because it is a main highway, but taxi drivers know the short cuts.
Expect tight security because it is a sensitive area as well as a military base.
It is interesting to see the rail track passing close to the runway.