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Jinnah International Airport
Airport serving Karachi, Pakistan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jinnah International Airport (Urdu: جناح بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا) (IATA: KHI, ICAO: OPKC), formerly Drigh Road Airport or Karachi International Airport, is Pakistan's busiest international and domestic airport, and handled 7,267,582 passengers in 2017–2018.[4] Located in Karachi, the largest city and commercial capital of Pakistan and capital of the province of Sindh, it is named after Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the statesman founder of Pakistan.
The airport is managed by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and serves as a hub for the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), airblue, and many other private airlines. The airport is equipped with aircraft engineering and overhauling facilities including the Ispahani Hangar for wide-body aircraft.[5]
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History
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Imperial Airways was one of the first airlines to fly to Karachi in March 30th, 1929 when Pakistan was a part of British India.[2] The Karachi Aerodrome was also established that year.
J. R. D. Tata made the maiden voyage from Juhu Aerodrome in Bombay (now Mumbai) to Drigh Road airstrip (now Jinnah International Airport), Karachi, via Ahmedabad, on 15 October 1932, carrying mail in a Puss Moth aircraft.[6]
During the late 1920s and early 1930s, there was a large black coloured airship hangar at the site of Karachi Airport, constructed for the British HMA R101, at the time, the largest aircraft ever built.[citation needed] Only three hangars were ever built in the world to dock and hangar Britain's fleet of passenger airships. However, the R101 never arrived in Karachi (then part of the British Raj) as it crashed and exploded just 8 hours into its maiden flight over Beauvais, France, killing all but 6 of its 54 passengers and crew.[7] This hangar was so huge that aircraft often used it as a visual marker while attempting VFR landings at Karachi. The hangar started construction in 1927 and finished in 1929. In 1952, the government of Pakistan decided to demolish the old hangar for metal scrap. In 1961, the hangar was demolished and its steel was used for railway construction.[8]
The black hangar was located approximately on the coordinates: 24°53'28"N 67°08'51"E if you match an old aerial photo of Karachi Airport prior to World War II with a recent image of Karachi Airport. The base of the airship mast survives to this day and is located here: 24°53'49"N 67°08'30"E.[9] The mast was never used but the hangar served Imperial Airways Handley Page H.P.42s and A.W.XV Atalantas. On 5th December, 1938, the Governor of Sind opened a permanent terminal building (now Terminal 1) which had a circular central hall and two wing sections.[10]
During World War II, Karachi Airport was a major transhipment base for United States Army Air Forces units and equipment being used by Tenth Air Force in eastern India, Burma and the Fourteenth Air Force in China.[citation needed] Several operational bomber and fighter units flew into Karachi for short organisational periods prior to their deployment. Air Technical Service Command had extensive facilities where aircraft were received, assembled and tested prior to being flown to their combat units at forward airfields.[citation needed] It also functioned as a major maintenance and supply depot for both air forces. In addition, Air Transport Command flew numerous cargo and passenger flights to the Middle East and to points within British India and China.[citation needed]
In 1953, after the crash of a De Havilland Comet, Karachi Airport had to close for a short amount of time, and commercial flights were temporarily relocated to PAF Base Masroor.
In January 25, 1961, Runway 07L/25R was inaugurated by Finance Minister Mohammad Shoaib at the Karachi Airport. The length of the runway was 10,500 feet and it was one of the longest runways at the time. Employees of the US Corps of Engineers and the Vinnel Corporation were responsible for the construction of the Rs 28 million runway. Before the construction of Runway 07L/25R, according to a 1958 US report, what is now Runway 07R/25L existed with a length of roughly 7,500 feet with a surface of Bitumen. At the time, the airport was served by 13 international and domestic airlines.
In 1965 the Department of Civil Aviation and PIA produced a master plan for a new terminal building, which would later pave the way for the planning of the Jinnah Terminal 20 years later.
In November 3rd, 1972, it was announced Karachi International Airport would be expanded to meet the rising passenger volume owing to operations by a number of foreign airlines of wide-bodied (jumbo) aircraft. The programme would be implemented in two phases. The first phase consisted of international arrival areas, the existing transit lounge and domestic areas. The second included a new international departure-cum-transit lounge and a car park. The former was expected to be completed in October 1973, the most important aspect of which was streamlining of passenger flow to expedite their clearance. Three customs, three health and five immigration channels had been provided for the purpose. In the latter, a new block was to be built for departure and transit passengers with a capacity of 600 persons. The arrival lounge would be enlarged to accommodate over 320 passengers. [11]
In 1978, to relieve congestion, Terminal 2 was built by Pakistan International Airlines. Terminal 2 had a length of 130 meters (427 feet) when it was built in 1978. It contained two departure lounges, one for 577 passengers and the other for 50 first class passengers, was capable of serving four wide-bodied aircraft simultaneously, cost 10 million Pakistani rupees (521 million rupees today), and was built to last 60 years. By then, the airport was served by 29 airlines.[12]
In February 1984, Karachi International Airport had an airport fire which affected Terminal 2 badly. Terminal 1 was still operational.[13] The late 1980s saw the construction of Terminal 3. January 1989 was when the Jinnah Terminal begun construction. In June 1991, after roughly 2 years of construction and 4 years of planning, the Jinnah Terminal was completed. However, it wasn’t until August 1992 when it opened. The Jinnah Terminal was supposed to have been expanded 3 times its original size by 2000, with 4 satellite terminals and 32 gates. The terminal was supposed to handle 8 million passengers annually. Runway 07R/25L was to be extended to roughly 9,000 to 10,000 feet.[14] The present day infrastructure of Jinnah International Complex is a result of an expansion programme carried out in 1994. Runway 07R/25L was extended from 7,500 feet to its current length of 11,155 feet. Today, the Jinnah Terminal handles both domestic and international flights, whereas Terminal 2 is now dedicated to Hajj operations. Terminal 1 (the original airport) is now the HQ of Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority and Terminal 3 is dedicated to commercial offices.[15] After the construction of the Jinnah Terminal, the airport was renamed Quaid-i-Azam International Airport.
In approximately 1994 or 1993, Karachi Airport handled 2,766,449 international passengers and handled 2,570,827 domestic passengers.[16]
Between the 1960s and 1980s, it was an online station of airlines such as BOAC, Qantas, and Pan Am, featuring prominently on for Eurasia flights.[17] In March 2006, Pakistan International Airlines began a nonstop flight to Toronto on Boeing 777s.[18][19]
In early 2025, work began on reconstructing and extending runway 07L/25R to 11,500 ft to accommodate Airbus A380s. New taxiways also started being constructed and a new control tower was being built north of the airport. The ATC tower will be 125 feet tall.
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Structure
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Jinnah International Airport has a capacity of handling 12 million passengers annually. In fiscal year 2008–2009, over 5,725,052 passengers used Jinnah International Airport. 50,095 aircraft movements were registered.[21]
It is a major focus city of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), as the primary hub has shifted to Islamabad. All other Pakistani airlines also use Jinnah International Airport as their main hub. These include airblue, SereneAir, Fly Jinnah, and AirSial as well as several charter carriers.
The building is linked via connecting corridors to two satellites, each having a provision of eight passenger-loading bridges. The eastern satellite is devoted exclusively to handling international operations. The western satellite is used for domestic operations, as well as some international operations. This is achieved through a flexible arrangement of gates. The two satellites supplement the departure lounges of the terminal building and also provide shopping facilities, mobile recharging points, and snack counters.
The Jinnah Terminal was completed in 1992 at a cost of US$100 million [unreliable source?] – at the time the most expensive civil construction project in Pakistan. NESPAK (National Engineering Services Pakistan) and Airconsult (Frankfurt, Germany) were responsible for the architecture and planning of the terminal. Sogea Construction, a French company, was the contractor. Mukhtar Husain and Abdul Malik (NESPAK) were the chief engineers for the new terminal.
In Karachi, the CIP Lounge can be used by all first and business class passengers on all outbound flights. Barclays, UBL and airblue have also introduced their dedicated lounges in the international terminal.[22]
There are a number of bank kiosks and ATMs that passengers can use at the airport.
Jinnah International Airport’s ATC building is located on top of the Terminal 1 building. It was constructed in 1938 and will eventually be replaced by a new control tower.
The airport is also where the majority of PIA's maintenance network is located, although some of its maintenance work also takes place at Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad. There are several hangars at the airport; the largest being the Ispahani Hangar (named after Mirza Ahmad Ispahani, the first chairman of PIA) which can accommodate two wide-body aircraft and one narrow body airliner (e.g. Boeing 737) at one time. On 15 February 2006, the first major overhaul of a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft (known as "C" check) was done at Ispahani Hangar. Most of the PIA aircraft are checked and regulated at the aircraft hangars in Karachi. The PIA maintenance also check other airlines' aircraft in Karachi. The head office of the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan is located in Terminal 1.[23] Pakistan International Airlines has some of its HQ departments (with the rest shifted to PIA Building Blue Area Islamabad) on the grounds of the airport (PIA Building),[24] as well as its central mainframe (CRC Building). CRC Building also houses the PIA frequent flyer programme, Awards +, as well as hosting SITA Bagtrak, the shared International Air Transport Association global lost luggage tracking computer network. PIA Engineering HQ, Cargo Village, Flight Kitchen, PTC (PIA Training Centre), and Jama Masjid PIA are also located here. Terminals 1 and Jinnah West also have round-the-clock PIA booking offices and ticketing auto-kiosks.
Isphahani Hangar
The Isphahani Hangar is PIA's wide-body aircraft maintenance hangar at Jinnah International Airport. It was named in honour of Mirza Ahmed Isphahani, the first and longest serving chairperson of Pakistan International Airlines from its inception in 1954 until 1962. The new jet hangar for wide-body and narrow-body aircraft with a supporting airframe overhaul shop was completed and commissioned in 1968. Most of the PIA aircraft are checked and regulated at the aircraft hangars in Karachi. The PIA maintenance also check other airlines' aircraft in Karachi such as Philippine Airlines, Yemenia and Turkish Airlines.
In 2007 a Karachi bound 747 for the UK was found by government inspectors to have poor maintenance at Karachi and Islamabad after an engine fell onto a Manchester Airport runway shortly after landing.[25]
Terminals
Jinnah International Airport has one main terminal, divided into two concourses and five floors:[26]
- The Jinnah East Satellite Concourse, used for international flights[27]
- The Jinnah West Satellite Concourse, used for domestic flights
The airport also has a terminal dedicated to Hajj flights, Terminal 2. Terminals 2 and 3 were dedicated to international flights before the construction of the Jinnah Terminal. Terminal 2 (1978) was initially an arrival building for international flights of PIA and some other airlines (with the rest arriving at Terminal 1) and a departure building for domestic flights. Later, a new international departures building (Terminal 3) was constructed in the late 1980s. Before the 1980s, Terminal 1 (built in 1938) was the only terminal of the airport. It had changed in appearance multiple times. Terminal 1, according to a map from 1985, had shops, duty-free shop booking office (pick-up point near Shaheed-e-Millat), an international departures lounge, ticketing, car rental services, bank branches, 24-hour restaurant/coffee shop, mosque, and airline counters from the ground floor. On the first floor of the terminal, there was a cafeteria for airport staff, airline offices, and the security/lost and found office of the airport administration. During the time of General Zia, martial law complaint office was also present.[28]
Runways and aprons
The airport has two runways measuring 3,200 m (10,500 ft) and 3,400 m (11,200 ft) in length respectively. Runways 25R/07L and 25L/07R have a width of 46 m (151 ft) and 45 m (148 ft) respectively. The runways are capable of handling up to Airbus A380 (soon), Airbus A350 XWB and Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft. The runways have capacity to handle 15 flights per hour and can accommodate simultaneous landings and take offs. Runways 25R and 25L are equipped with ILS CAT-I to guide landing aircraft safely under very poor weather conditions and in low visibility conditions, such as fog.[29] The taxiway is able to handle 12 aircraft at once, while the parking area measures 266,000 square metres (2,860,000 sq ft) and is able to accommodate 42 aircraft, 12 of which through air bridges linking them directly with the terminal building. In addition, there are remote parking bays for 30 aircraft.
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Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Cargo
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2024) |
Statistics
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The following table provides details of the major traffic flows out of Karachi Airport in terms of passenger numbers, aircraft movements, cargo as well as mail. The results were collected by the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan:[44]
Historical Statistics (according to a dawn news article and a book called “Airports of the World”):[45][12]
During those times, Karachi Airport was one of the busiest in West and South Asia and was a destination for more international airlines than today.
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Ground transport
Jinnah International Airport is situated near the highly populated areas of Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Malir. It is easily accessible through Shahrah-e-Faisal Road from any part of the city.
The airport has a heptagon carpark which can accommodate more than 3000 vehicles.
Buses, mini buses and taxis are also available to the airport. There are also a number of traditional auto-rickshaws available at the airport parking area and entrance which are quite popular to travel short distances within the city.
Karachi Cantonment railway station is the nearest railway station from the airport to get the railway connections for other parts of the country. There is also a commuter rail station, Karachi Airport Station, which is located 2 km southwest of main Jinnah Terminal, just south of Star Gate.
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Accidents and incidents
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In 2013, the son of a politician and Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Sher Muhammad Baloch was arrested for beating a PIA reservation officer at the airport.[47]
In 2018, five FIA officials were suspended for manhandling a reportedly drunk and aggressive male passenger at the airport.[48][49]
In June 2014, at least 28 people, including all 10 attackers, were killed when Taliban-linked terrorists attacked Karachi Airport.[50]
In 2024, a suicide attack, by internationally designated terrorist group Baloch Liberation Army, was reported at the Jinnah International Airport, killing two people and wounding eight others.[51]
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See also
References
External links
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