Gwadar Airport begins flight operations with successful landing of first aircraft

The Gwadar International Airport inaugurated its air service with the arrival of Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) first commercial flight on Monday.

The flight was scheduled to depart at 9:20 am but departed nearly an hour late at 10:00 am, landing at the new airport at 11:40 am.

Apart from the passengers, high-ranking officials from the aviation division were onboard the inaugural flight.

Along with Defence & Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, Balochistan Governor Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail and Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti welcomed the passengers.

The aircraft was greeted with a water cannon salute upon its landing.

After the landing of the first domestic flight, a spokesperson in aviation renounced the rumours of putting off the inauguration due to the weather conditions by declaring the news as “fake and baseless”, directing the commuters to rely on verified sources for information about flights. 

It is pertinent to mention here that Gwadar Airport was constructed at over 430 acres of area, 26 kilometres away from Gurandani.

New Gwadar International Airport has just one runway, with a 3,658-meter length and 75-meter width. It is capable of receiving the big aircraft. 

Earlier, on October 14, 2024, the New Gwadar Airport was symbolically inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; however, it was operationalized on Monday. 

Additionally, the Airport was developed with a $230 million grant by China had remained inactive due to the failure of aviation and port authorities to make it commercialized by adding international-level facilities.