There are various bronchoscopic ablative tools in interventional bronchoscopy, but lasers remain essential for managing specific benign and malignant central airway lesions. Endoluminal therapy for malignant airway obstruction consists of generally palliative measures or are used as a bridge therapy for definitive treatment, when feasible. Although compatible with flexible bronchoscope, lasers have predominantly been used with the rigid bronchoscope for laser-assisted mechanical debulking, which results in rapid tissue destruction in a single session thereby relieving dyspnea, cough or hemoptysis. In benign strictures, for inoperable patients, lasers are used as part of laser-assisted dilations techniques. This review will cover the fundamental physics principles of lasers, their operational modes, patient and personnel safety, their application in treating benign and malignant diseases, and how they compare to other techniques with immediate effects. With appropriate understanding of physics, proper training and regulatory compliance, lasers can be used safely and effectively in the central airway disorders.