Roberta Aguirre
Pakistan has seen the recent construction and opening of several new airports, including the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) and the Islamabad International Airport. The NGIA is the largest airport in Pakistan by area, occupying 4,300 acres of land and costing around $246 million. It was funded primarily by China and was inaugurated in October 2024, with its first international flight taking place in January 2025. Islamabad International Airport was inaugurated in April 2018 and is built on more than 3,200 acres of land. It features a passenger terminal building, two runways, and other aviation facilities. Both airports are designed to accommodate modern aircraft and handle a significant volume of passengers and cargo.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Islamabad International Airport, New Gwadar International Airport |
| Location | Pind Ranjha, Attock District, 25 km from Islamabad and Rawalpindi |
| Size | 3,200 acres (Islamabad), 4,300 acres (Gwadar) |
| Cost | Rs55.4 billion (Gwadar), funded by China, Pakistan and Oman |
| Construction Time | 12 years (Islamabad), 5 years planned |
| Inauguration Date | 20 April 2018 (Islamabad), 14 October 2024 (Gwadar) |
| Capacity | 9 million passengers and 80,000 tons of cargo per year (Islamabad), 30,000 tons of cargo per year (Gwadar) |
| Facilities | Duty-free shops, food court, 42 immigration counters, cargo terminal, air traffic control complex, fire and rescue facility |
| Aircraft Handled | Airbus A380, Boeing 747-8, ATR-72, Boeing 737-900ER, Boeing 787 Dreamliner |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Islamabad International Airport
The site for the new airport is in Pind Ranjha, Attock District, just a few kilometres from the Islamabad interchange on the M-1/M-2 motorways. The project was undertaken by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and financed solely by the organisation. The PCAA also played a role in selecting the design team, which included a French company, Aéroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi), and the CPG Corporation of Singapore. The new airport was designed by a team of British architects.
The Islamabad International Airport covers more than 3,200 acres (1,295 ha) of land and includes a passenger terminal building, two runways, four taxiways, and apron and parking bays for wide-body aircraft. The terminal features 15 gates, with ten remote gates, duty-free shops, a food court, and 42 immigration counters. The airport is capable of handling 9 million passengers and 80,000 metric tons of cargo annually, with future expansions aiming to increase passenger capacity to 25 million.
The construction of the airport began on 7 April 2007 and was officially inaugurated on 1 May 2018 by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Full commercial flight operations commenced on 3 May 2018, replacing the old airport. On 8 July 2018, the airport witnessed a significant milestone with the first landing of an Airbus A380 in Pakistan, operated by Emirates as flight EK-2524 from Dubai International Airport.
London Trains: Heathrow Airport Connections and Services
You may want to see also
Explore related products
New Gwadar International Airport
The New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) is an airport in Gwadar, Pakistan. It is the largest airport in Pakistan by area, occupying 4,300 acres (17 km2) of land, and the second greenfield airport in the country after Islamabad International Airport. The NGIA is located in Gurandani, 26 kilometres (16 mi) north-east of the old airport in Gwadar on the south-western Arabian Sea coast of Balochistan Province. With a runway spanning 3,658 metres (12,001 ft) in length and 45 metres (148 ft) in width, the NGIA can accommodate the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8, as well as narrow-body aircraft such as the ATR-72 and Boeing 737-900ER. The airport is designed to facilitate both domestic and international flights and will include a modern terminal building alongside a cargo terminal, with refrigeration facilities for perishable items, with an initial handling capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year.
The NGIA was constructed at a cost of Rs55.4 billion ($240-246 million), funded primarily (67%) as a grant by China, with additional funding from Pakistan and Oman. The airport was opened on 14 October 2024, in a ceremony led by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The airport's first international flight took place on 10 January 2025, with a flight to Muscat, the capital of Oman. The NGIA replaced the old Gwadar International Airport, which was previously the only airport operating in the city.
The airport has been a source of controversy, with critics arguing that it serves China's interests in the region rather than those of Pakistan. Security concerns have also been raised, with the airport's proximity to the mountains being a potential security risk. There have also been protests organised by the BYC, which caused the opening of the airport to be delayed. Despite these controversies, the Pakistani government has hailed the airport as a transformational project that will boost the local economy and provide jobs for locals.
Body Scanners: Nudity Exposure or Privacy Protection?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Airport: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81-nvGF8wgL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Benazir Bhutto International Airport
The Benazir Bhutto International Airport was a civil and military airport in Pakistan that handled VIPs, foreign diplomats, high-level government officials, and military officials, in addition to scheduled public operations for many airlines. The airport was located in Islamabad and served as a hub for Pakistan International Airlines, Shaheen Air, and Airblue.
In the fiscal year 2008-2009, over 3,136,664 passengers used the Benazir Bhutto International Airport and 34,025 aircraft movements were registered. However, the airport could only handle eleven wide-body aircraft at one time, with an additional five parking places for general aviation aircraft. It could not accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 or the Boeing 747-8.
Due to increasing air traffic and passenger loads, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority announced plans to construct a new airport in January 2005. The new Islamabad International Airport was inaugurated on May 1, 2018, by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and it replaced the Benazir Bhutto International Airport, which became the PAF Base Nur Khan.
The new airport is built on more than 3,200 acres of land and consists of a passenger terminal building, two runways, six taxiways, and parking bays for wide-body aircraft. It is designed to handle up to 25 million passengers annually and is equipped with modern facilities, including duty-free shops, a hotel, and a food court.
Airports and Labor Day Crowds: What to Expect
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) is a state-owned autonomous body that oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Pakistan. The PCAA's head office is located at Terminal-1 of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
The PCAA is a member state of the International Civil Aviation Organization and was bifurcated to form the Pakistan Airports Authority as per the National Aviation Policy 2019. The PCAA's core functions are regulatory, air navigation services, and airport services.
The PCAA has been responsible for several airport projects in Pakistan, including the Islamabad International Airport and the New Gwadar International Airport. Islamabad International Airport was planned in response to increasing air traffic and passenger loads at the existing Benazir Bhutto International Airport. The new airport was designed by Aéroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi), a French company, and the Singapore-based CPG Corporation. The PCAA financed the project, which included a passenger terminal building, two runways, four taxiways, and apron and parking bays for wide-body aircraft. The airport was inaugurated in April 2018 and replaced the old airport.
The New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) is the largest airport in Pakistan by area, occupying 4,300 acres of land. The airport was constructed at a cost of Rs55.4 billion, with funding primarily from China as a grant, and also from Pakistan and Oman. The NGIA is designed to facilitate both domestic and international flights and includes a modern terminal building and a cargo terminal with refrigeration facilities. The airport was inaugurated in October 2024 and replaced the Gwadar International Airport.
US Airports: Drug-Sniffing Dogs and Their Presence
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Airbus A380
The new airport in Pakistan is the Islamabad International Airport, which was inaugurated on 20 April 2018 and fully operationalized on 3 May 2018. It was built in response to the increasing air traffic and passenger load at the former Benazir Bhutto International Airport, which was growing at a rate of 14% annually. The new airport is located in Pind Ranjha, Attock District, and was designed by French company Aéroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi) and the CPG Corporation of Singapore. It consists of a passenger terminal building, two runways, four taxiways, and apron and parking bays for wide-body aircraft.
Another recently opened airport is the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), which was inaugurated on 14 October 2024. It is the largest airport in Pakistan by area, occupying 4,300 acres of land. NGIA is located in Gurandani, 26 kilometres northeast of the old airport in Gwadar, in the southwestern Arabian Sea coast of Balochistan Province. The airport is designed to accommodate both domestic and international flights and will have the capacity to handle wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A380.
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by Airbus. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world, with a typical capacity of about 550 passengers, though it can accommodate up to 850 passengers in a single-class configuration. The A380 made its first flight on 27 April 2005 and entered commercial service in October 2007 with Singapore Airlines.
The A380 is known for its spacious cabin, providing more room for passengers and allowing for wider seats and aisles. The aircraft has a range of about 8,200 nautical miles (15,200 km) and is powered by Engine Alliance GP7000 or Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. It has a cruise speed of Mach 0.85 (about 900 km/h or 560 mph) and a maximum takeoff weight of 560 tonnes.
The A380 has seen service with various airlines around the world, including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, British Airways, and Lufthansa. However, in 2019, Airbus announced that it would cease deliveries of the A380 by 2021 due to slow sales and rising production costs. Despite its impressive capabilities and comfort, the A380 has faced challenges in finding a market, with airlines favoring smaller, more efficient twin-engine aircraft for long-haul routes.
Closest Airports to Coudersport, PA: A Traveler's Guide
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) in Gurandani, Pakistan, was inaugurated on 14 October 2024 and opened on 20 January 2025. It is the largest airport in Pakistan by area, occupying 4,300 acres of land.
The NGIA was constructed to replace the old Gwadar International Airport and to accommodate a greater number of passengers and cargo. It was also designed to facilitate both domestic and international flights.
The airport includes a modern terminal building, a cargo terminal with refrigeration facilities, and a runway capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8. The airport is expected to handle 30,000 tons of cargo per year.
The NGIA was funded primarily by China (67%) as a grant, with additional funding from Pakistan and Oman. The total cost of the project was Rs55.4 billion.
