Peshawar International Airport
Encyclopedia
Peshawar International Airport is an airport
located in the city of Peshawar
in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province of Pakistan
. Located about a 10-minute drive from the centre of Peshawar, it is the fourth busiest airport in Pakistan. One unusual feature is that one end of the main runway is crossed by a railway line -- the seldom-used Khyber train safari
to Landi Kotal
in the Khyber Pass
.
(federal capital of Pakistan) which makes it about two hours drive from the capital via the state-of-the-art M-1 motorway. The airport also has quite a rich history compared to other airports within Pakistan. Since Peshawar is the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, it provides world connections for the majority of the northwest region of the country and adjoining areas of Afghanistan. Since the province has a large Afghan
/Pathan
community residing within KPK, Afghanistan flights have always been on the rise with family either visiting relatives across the border or wanting to seek a better quality of life in Pakistan.
The airport traces its origins to 1927 when there was a small airfield that catered to much of the British Empire
and aircraft that were either travelling onwards to the east (e.g. to China and Malaya/Singapore) or west (e.g. Europe and America). For this reason the city was given the nickname "Gateway to the East" because it linked the traditional oriental culture to modern occidental traditions. The airport only gained much importance after the independence of Pakistan from the British Raj. The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan (CAA) and the Pakistan Air Force
started to use the airfield jointly for both military and civil operations. There were countless flights operated to and from Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, as well as other cities within the newly formed state.
The airport achieved international status in 1965 when the first flight was operated from Kabul, Afghanistan to Peshawar. The flight was operated by the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines
(PIA). As years went on the airport grew with more flights and aircraft and relative upgrade was carried out from time to time. It was not until 1981 that the CAA extended the terminal to meet future needs for the next decade and to meet the estimated growth of passengers. The apron was developed fully by 1986, where the airport was able to handle four wide body aircraft and two small narrow body aircraft at one time.
In January 2008 the provincial government meet to discuss the expansion work needed to upgrade the quality of the aircraft in terms of facilities, terminal modernisation and cargo growth. In June 2008 the Deputy Director General of the CAA, Air Vice Marshal Sajid Habib, said that five billion rupees have been allocated to expand and develop Peshawar airport.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in the city of Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
province of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Located about a 10-minute drive from the centre of Peshawar, it is the fourth busiest airport in Pakistan. One unusual feature is that one end of the main runway is crossed by a railway line -- the seldom-used Khyber train safari
Khyber train safari
The Khyber train safari is a railway route in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The colonial era railway route has been described as "a journey into time and history". It consists of a train pulled by two vintage steam locomotives built in 1920s that takes passengers through breathtaking and...
to Landi Kotal
Landi Kotal
Landi Kotal or Landikotal is a town of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. It is located at 34°6'4N 71°8'44E and lies on the Khyber Pass in the Khyber Agency. At 1,072 metres above sea level it is the highest point on the Khyber Pass and is the route across the mountains to the...
in the Khyber Pass
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
.
History
Strategically situated in the heart of Peshawar, Peshawar International Airport is located approximately 180 km from IslamabadIslamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
(federal capital of Pakistan) which makes it about two hours drive from the capital via the state-of-the-art M-1 motorway. The airport also has quite a rich history compared to other airports within Pakistan. Since Peshawar is the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, it provides world connections for the majority of the northwest region of the country and adjoining areas of Afghanistan. Since the province has a large Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
/Pathan
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
community residing within KPK, Afghanistan flights have always been on the rise with family either visiting relatives across the border or wanting to seek a better quality of life in Pakistan.
The airport traces its origins to 1927 when there was a small airfield that catered to much of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and aircraft that were either travelling onwards to the east (e.g. to China and Malaya/Singapore) or west (e.g. Europe and America). For this reason the city was given the nickname "Gateway to the East" because it linked the traditional oriental culture to modern occidental traditions. The airport only gained much importance after the independence of Pakistan from the British Raj. The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan (CAA) and the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
started to use the airfield jointly for both military and civil operations. There were countless flights operated to and from Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, as well as other cities within the newly formed state.
The airport achieved international status in 1965 when the first flight was operated from Kabul, Afghanistan to Peshawar. The flight was operated by the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines Corporation commonly known as PIA, is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan. The airline has its head office on the grounds of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. and operates scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 38 international destinations in 27...
(PIA). As years went on the airport grew with more flights and aircraft and relative upgrade was carried out from time to time. It was not until 1981 that the CAA extended the terminal to meet future needs for the next decade and to meet the estimated growth of passengers. The apron was developed fully by 1986, where the airport was able to handle four wide body aircraft and two small narrow body aircraft at one time.
In January 2008 the provincial government meet to discuss the expansion work needed to upgrade the quality of the aircraft in terms of facilities, terminal modernisation and cargo growth. In June 2008 the Deputy Director General of the CAA, Air Vice Marshal Sajid Habib, said that five billion rupees have been allocated to expand and develop Peshawar airport.
Structure
Peshawar is a major passenger hub with 75% flights internationally bound. The airport is currently under evaluation to be upgraded to make it compatible with future needs of the geographical location. The CAA is currently working with the provincial government to develop the airport to meet international standards. The airport has several facilities to handle the normal needs of passengers such as telephone calling (domestic/international) booths, money exchange facilities, automatic teller machines, Internet stations (powered by Wateen), information counters, gifts and souvenir shops, snack shops, rent a car services, as well as a post office. At present the following technical features are available at the airport.- Runway;
- 9000 feet (2,743.2 m) long, 150 feet (45.7 m) wide with 10 feet (3 m) shoulders on either side corresponding to International Civil Aviation Organisation Category 4E.
- Aprons;
- For passenger and cargo. Combination of flexible and rigid pavements.
- Nose-in parking for 4 wide-bodied aircraft at a time or 3 Airbus and 2 narrow body aircraft at a time.
- Lounges;
- Two Domestic Departure and Arrivals with a restaurant/Wireless internet facility in each.
- Two International Departure and Arrival Halls
- Two Executive Lounges for Premium and CIP passengers.
- Several FIDSFlight information display systemA Flight Information Display system is a computer system used in airports to display flight information to passengers, in which a computer system controls mechanical or electronic display boards or TV screens in order to display arrivals and departures flight information in real-time. The displays...
/Plasma TV screens located at various points within the halls showing television programs and flight schedule timings.
- Additional
- Animal Quarantine facility
Airlines and destinations
Events
- A Lockheed U-2Lockheed U-2The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
spyplane, piloted by Gary PowersGary PowersFrancis Gary Powers was an American pilot whose Central Intelligence Agency U-2 spy plane was shot down while flying a reconnaissance mission over Soviet Union airspace, causing the 1960 U-2 incident.- Early life :...
, left Badbair Militery Airport(Near peshawar which was closed forever after this incident, people often took it as peshawar airport) intending to fly over the Soviet Union. His plane was shot down and he was captured and put on trial in the USSR. This triggered the U-2 Crisis of 1960. - On March 26, 1965, a PIA Douglas C-47A-1-DKDouglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
took off from the airport. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control mid flight. The aircraft had crash landed at the Lowery Pass. All passengers and crew did not survive the accident and the aircraft was written off. - A [PIA Fokker F-27 Friendship was making a night approach at the airport. Due to co-pilot error, the aircraft was lower than expected. The aircraft undershot the runway, causing it to land in a ditch which caused the aircraft to break up. Thirteen passengers and crew sustained serious injuries and the aircraft was written off. The incident occurred on October 23, 1986.
- Six international airlines have temporarily suspended flights to Peshawar in view of the deteriorating security situation in that part of Pakistan. This followed a rocket attack on the airport in August 2009. The absence of a five star hotel in the city after the Pearl Continental hotel was blown up is also said to be one of the causes. The airlines are Saudi Arabian Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.Emirates Airlines, Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Etihad airways resumed services to the city after a short hiatus.
See also
- List of airports in Pakistan
- Airlines of PakistanAirlines of PakistanThe Pakistan aviation industry was started up when Orient Airways merged with Pakistan International Airlines Corporation to become the national flag carrier of Pakistan called Pakistan International Airlines...
- Pakistan Civil Aviation AuthorityPakistan Civil Aviation AuthorityPakistan's Civil Aviation Authority is a regulatory authority, which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Pakistan. Nearly all civilian airports in Pakistan are owned and operated by the CAA...
- Shaheen Airport ServicesShaheen Airport ServicesShaheen Airport Services is the largest ground handling agency in the private sector of Pakistan, providing facilities to commercial, corporate and private airlines at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta...
- Transport in PakistanTransport in PakistanTransportation in Pakistan is extensive and varied but still in its developing stages and serving a population of over 170 million people. Construction of new airports, roads, and railway lines have led to an employment boost in the country. Much of Pakistan's road network and railway network...