Changdu Bangda Airport (IATA: BPX, ICAO: ZUBD), also known as Qamdo Bamda Airport, is an airport serving Qamdo (Changdu), Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It is located in the village of Bamda (Bangda).
At an elevation of 4,334 m (14,219 ft) above sea level, Qamdo Airport was formerly the highest airport in the world. It was surpassed by Daocheng Yading Airport, with an elevation of 4,411 m (14,472 ft), on 16 September 2013.[2] It has a very long runway, 4.5 km (2.8 mi), a necessary feature to accommodate the reduced engine and lift performance that affect aircraft at high altitude, requiring higher than normal takeoff speeds and therefore longer takeoff and landing runs.[1][3]
Runway repairs took place in 2007 and 2013 after decay from the weather. A new 4,500-metre-long (14,800 ft) runway was built, and the original 5,500-metre-long (18,000 ft) runway was closed. [citation needed]