Islamabad International Airport
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| Islamabad International Airport Chaklala Airbase |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| IATA: ISB - ICAO: OPRN | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military/Public | ||
| Operator | Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority | ||
| Serves | Islamabad | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,688 ft (508 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 12/30 | 10,785 | 3,287 | Asphalt |
Islamabad International Airport or Chaklala Airbase (Urdu: چکلالہ) (IATA: ISB, ICAO: OPRN) is located in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
The current location of the airport is shared with the "Chaklala Airbase" of Pakistan Air Force. The new location of the Islamabad International Airport has been selected at Fateh Jang, nearly 5 kilometers from Islamabad near Fateh Jang
The airport houses some squadrons of the Pakistan Air Force, but these squadrons do not contain fighter jets rather they are composed cargo and liaison planes.
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[edit] Location
The airport is actually located outside of Islamabad, closer to the city of Rawalpindi, in an area known as Chaklala. Being the main airport for the Pakistani capital it often hosts officials and citizens from other nations.
[edit] History
- See also: 2005 Kashmir Earthquake
As Islamabad International Airport is merged with the PAF operations, the airport hosts many military flights as well as the civilian flights. The airport is more commonly referred to Chaklala.
During 2005, when Pakistan-administered of Kashmir was stuck by the 7.6 killer earthquake, there was a major operation taking place at Islamabad International Airport. It caused a huge increase in traffic at the airport. There were many aircraft from around the world (such as Virgin Atlantic, Air-France Cargo, etc.) operating flights into Islamabad International Airport after a United Nation's call to help the people that had been affected by the killer earthquake. There were many airforce aircraft and cargo airlines regularly visiting the airport to deliver goods that had been collected by many organisations and people overseas. One of the rare sights at the airport was the arrival of the Antonov An-225 Mriya that landed at the airport after a flight from Canada and Europe.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced on January 7, 2005 the first-ever green-field airport would be built in Islamabad at a cost of $300 million. The contract signing ceremony was held at the CAA headquarters at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. Pervez Akhtar Nawaz, (Director General CAA, Air Marshal) signed an agreement with a renowned international consultant, Louis Berger Group of USA in association with Pakistani consulting firm ECIL, to undertake project management services. While the first contract for Project Management Services is signed, the CAA is close to receiving bids and proposals from international design consultants and signature architects for design of the new airport. It is envisaged that the Design Consultants will commence their services by the end of March 2006. Soon after the mobilization of the Project Management Consultants, other processes for invitation of bids and award of construction contracts will be initiated. It is anticipated that the new facility will become operational by 2010. The new airport site is located on 3,200 acres of land, acquired by CAA in 1980s at Pind Ranjha near Fateh Jang, some 20km from Zero-Point, Islamabad and 23 km from Saddar, Rawalpindi involving driving time of only 20-25 minutes through network of motorways and highways. The airport will be developed at par with international standards to serve as major hub for all aviation activities in the region.
Estimated to cost about $300 million, the new Airport facility, which is the first green-field airport in Pakistan, shall comprise a contemporary state-of-the-art passenger terminal building, control tower, runway with a provision of a secondary runway, taxiways, apron, cargo complex, and hangar together with all the necessary infrastructure and ancillary facilities. It would cater to the requirements of latest generation of modern passenger aircraft. The new airport will have a modular design to handle 6.5 million passengers per annum and 80,000 metric tonnes cargo per annum. Being a new airport, a significant portion of the land has been earmarked for commercial purposes such as duty-free shops, hotel and convention centre, air malls, business centre, food courts, leisure and recreational facilities. The new airport is envisaged to be a modern landmark structure symbolic to represent twenty-first century Pakistan, as it will be the diplomatic and business gateway to Pakistan through the Capital City of Islamabad. The CAA has announced that the new airport is to be named "Gandhara International Airport" after the ancient Buddhist kingdom.[1]
President Musharraf & Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will lay the foundation stone of the project on 7 April 2007.This Airport is the largest and most modern Airport in Pakistan. Its total area is 3700 acres. It is projected to be completed within four years.
The official said that through a letter, the Ministry of Defence has requested the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to include the area where the new airport will be situated in the capital territory and issue a notification to this effect at the earliest possible time.
[edit] Airlines and destinations
- Aero Asia Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, East Midlands [Start tbc], Karachi, Manchester [Start tbc])
- Airblue (Dubai, Karachi)
- Ariana Afghan Airlines (Kabul)
- British Airways (London-Heathrow)
- China Southern Airlines (Kashi, Ürümqi)
- Emirates (Dubai)
- Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi)
- Gulf Air (Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Muscat)
- Kuwait Airways (Kuwait)
- Pakistan International Airlines (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahawalpur, Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Beijing, Birmingham, Chicago-O'Hare, Copenhagen, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Gilgit, Glasgow, Hong Kong, Istanbul-Atatürk, Jeddah, Kabul, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, London-Heathrow, London-Stansted, Manchester, Milan-Malpensa, Multan, New York-JFK, Oslo, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Peshawar, Quetta, Rahim Yar Khan, Riyadh, Saidu Sharif, Singapore, Skardu, Sukkur, Tokyo-Narita, Toronto-Pearson)
- Qatar Airways (Doha)
- Saudi Arabian Airlines (Jeddah, Riyadh)
- Shaheen Air International (Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, Doha, Dubai, Karachi, Kuwait, Muscat)
- Thai Airways International (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi)
[edit] Cargo airlines
[edit] Charter airlines
[edit] Lounges
There are separate lounges for international and domestic economy passengers. The domestic and international lounges have been provided all the required facilities that include snack bars, public telephone and internet services. There are also lounges for transit passengers who may be travelling further internationally or domestically. The lounges also have designated prayer areas.
[edit] CIP / VIP Lounge
The CIP/VIP lounge can be used by first and business class passengers travelling international or domestic flights. Passengers have to be issued an airline card from the check-in staff. It costs six dollars per passenger and one hundred rupees for domestic passengers. There are also televisions, newspapers and magazines, telephones, fax and free internet. Passengers who are searching banks that have credit card facilities can use the Askari Commercial Bank.
[edit] Rawal Lounge
Situated in the capital city of Pakistan. Islamabad International Airport handles VIP passengers who are foreign diplomats and high government military officials. Rawal lounges have been designated for use by such passengers. It provides an executive environment with all the required facilities.[2]
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- World Aero Data airport information for OPRN
- CAA initiates $300m new Islamabad airport (NIIA) Pakistan Link Headline News
- CAA initiates $300m new Islamabad airport project "The News" Business Section
- Ground breaking ceremony of new Islamabad airport likely in April Brecorder News (Pakistan's Financial Daily Newspaper}
- SkyscraperCity Pakistan: Islamabad International Airport Updates
[edit] See also
- List of airports in Pakistan
- Airlines of Pakistan
- Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority
- Shaheen Airport Services
- Transport in Pakistan
