Airport consisted of the runway, a two-room air traffic control building (with the ground floor acting as the check-in counter) and a departure lounge on the lawn. Before the establishment of the Department of Civil Aviation in January 1986, Drukair was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the airport's infrastructure. In 1990, the runway at Paro Airport was lengthened from and reinforced for heavier aircraft. A hangar was constructed for the aircraft, which was funded by the Indian government as part of the Paro Airport Development Project. On 21 November 1988, Drukair's first jet, a BAe 146-100, was delivered to Paro Airport. In 2003, Drukair was seeking a replacement for the BAe 146 and on 19 October 2004 the airline's first Airbus A319-100 arrived in Paro. Buddha Air became the first international airline to operate charters to Paro in August 2010. Tashi Air, Bhutan's first private airline, was started in December 2011. In 2012, it was reported that 181,659 passengers used the airport. By 2018, this number had grown to 397,599 and 6,761 flights were handled by the airport. The airport got 4 new structures: modified departure terminal building, cargo building, the relocated substation, and a parallel taxiway. Facilities The airport has a single asphalt runway, and there is one terminal building that was commissioned in 1999. In 2021, the interior was revamped, adding many art pieces. Airlines and destinations See also Transport in Bhutan List of airports in Bhutan References External links BBC World feature on landing at Paro Airport Airports in Bhutan Paro District