Benazir bhutto international Airport Islamabad

Benazir Bhutto International Airport (Urdu: بینظیر بھٹو بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا‬‎, IATA: ISB, ICAO: OPRN) was the second-largest airport by air traffic in Pakistan, serving the capital Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi in the province of Punjab. Previously known as the Islamabad International Airport, it was renamed after the late Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto in June 2008.[1] The airport handled 4,767,860 passengers between 2015-16,[2] compared to 3,803,060 in 2012-13.[3]

Benazir Bhutto
International Airport
بینظیر بھٹو بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا‬
Benazir Intl Islamabad.jpg
Islamabad-Arrival-40105.JPG
IATA: ISB ICAO: OPRN
Summary
Airport type
Public / Military
Owner
Pakistan Air Force
Operator
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority
Serves
Islamabad and Rawalpindi
Location
Rawalpindi
Hub for
Pakistan International Airlines
Shaheen Air International
Elevation AMSL
508 m / 1,688 ft
Coordinates
33°36′59″N 073°05′57″E
Website
bbiap.caapakistan.com.pk
Map
ISB is located in Pakistan ISBISB
Location of airport in Pakistan
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
12/30 3,292 10,801 Asphalt
Statistics (2017)
Passengers 4,767,426
Sources: Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority
The airport is not located in Islamabad, but is instead in the area of Chaklala in neighbouring Rawalpindi.

History Edit

In the fiscal year 2008–2009, over 3,136,664 passengers used Benazir Bhutto International Airport and 34,025 aircraft movements were registered.[4] The airport serves as a hub for the flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines. It is also the hub of Shaheen Air International and a focus city of airblue.

The government recently launched a Rs. 399 million project to renovate and expand the airport including the 518 by 23 m (1,700 by 75 ft) taxi way link adjacent to the lone runway of the airport.[5] The renovation was completed by March, 2015.[6]

After expansion it is called New Islamabad International Airport is an under construction international airport located in Fateh Jang, Attock District planned to serve the Islamabad Rawalpindi metropolitan area. The airport is likely to open for commercial flights in December 2017. The airport project was conceived initially in 1984 for which the acquisition of land in Attock started the same year. Constructed approximately 20 km west of the twin cities, it is being built to replace the existing Benazir Bhutto International Airport which doesn't have the capacity to handle air traffic. After repeated delays, the project is expected to be become operational by mid-2017. The airport is connected to Islamabad via the Kashmir Highway and Rawalpindi via the GT Road. A 26 km six lane highway is under-construction to further expand the connectivity of the airport. The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus is planned to be expanded to connect the Islamabad with the metropolitan area. Once completed it will be the first greenfield airport in Pakistan and the first to support the landing of Airbus A380. Build on an area of 3,289 acres, the project consists of 90 check-in counters and a parking facility for 2,000 vehicles and will cater to upward of 10 million people every year in its first phase and up to 25 million in the second phase. The terminal includes 15 gates with ten remote gates, a four-star hotel, duty-free shops, two runways, six taxiways, food court and 42 immigration counters. Its Package-1 of civil works was started on February 15, 2010 and was completed on May 14, 2014, incurring a cost of PKR 10924 million as quoted by the contractor of the project.The construction project was awarded to Habib Construction Services which is one of the largest construction companies of Pakistan and have worked on several other mega projects previously.

Expansion Statistics:[7]

Location Islamabad
Construction Cost PKR 10924 Million
Client Aviation Division, Government of Punjab
Consultant Mott MacDonald
Contractor Habib Construction Services Limited, Lagan, TAPL
Facilities Edit

Benazir Bhutto International Airport was a civil and military airport which handles VIPs as well as public scheduled operations for many airlines. Foreign diplomats, high level government officials, as well as military officials are welcomed at this airport.

The airport was only able to handle eleven wide body aircraft at one time, with additional five parking places for general aviation aircraft. It could not accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 or the Boeing 747-8. This airport does not have any air bridges installed, so buses t the passengers from the airport terminal to the aircraft where air stairs are used.

Former Airlines and destinations Edit

Passenger Edit
Airlines Destinations
Air Arabia Ras al-Khaimah
Air China Beijing–Capital1
Airblue Abu Dhabi, Dubai–International, Karachi, Rahim Yar Khan, Sharjah
China Southern Airlines Ürümqi
Emirates Dubai–International
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi
Flynas Riyadh[8]
Gulf Air Bahrain
Kam Air Kabul
Kish Air Mashhad, Tehran-Imam Khomeini
Kuwait Airways Kuwait
Oman Air Muscat
Pakistan International Airlines Abu Dhabi, Bahawalpur, Barcelona, Beijing–Capital, Birmingham, Chitral, Copenhagen, Dammam, Doha, Dubai–International, Gilgit, Jeddah, Kabul, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur–International, Kuwait, Lahore, London–Heathrow, Manchester, Milan–Malpensa, Multan, Muscat, Oslo-Gardermoen, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Quetta, Rahim Yar Khan, Riyadh, Salalah,[9] Sialkot, Skardu, Sukkur, Tokyo–Narita, Toronto–Pearson, Zhob
Qatar Airways Doha
Safi Airways Kabul
Saudia Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh
Serene Air Karachi
Shaheen Air Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Dubai–International, Karachi[10] Riyadh,sharjah
Thai Airways Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi
Turkish Airlines Istanbul–Atatürk
*Notes: 1: Air China's flight from Islamabad to Beijing continues on to Karachi. However, Air China does not have eighth freedom rights to carry passengers solely from Islamabad to Karachi.

Cargo Edit
Airlines Destinations
TCS Courier Dubai–International, Karachi, Lahore, London–Heathrow
Turkish Airlines Cargo Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Bishkek, Istanbul–Atatürk
Star Air Aviation Karachi