Pakistan's new Gwadar Airport opened with inaugural PIA flight

Dubai: The New Gwadar International Airport, a key project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), officially began operations on with its inaugural flight on Monday.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-503 touched down at 11:14 am (PST), marking the airport's first commercial arrival. The flight was welcomed by Balochistan Governor Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail; Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, Defence and Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, and other senior officials.

The aircraft used for the inaugural flight, an ATR, was also greeted with a water salute upon landing, symbolising the importance of the occasion.

The New Gwadar International Airport, now visible on flight tracking platforms, has replaced the old airport on flight radar systems. Located 26 kilometers from Gwadar city in the Gurandani area, the new airport spans 4,300 acres, making it the largest airport in Pakistan by land area.

The facility features a single runway measuring 3,658 meters in length and 75 meters in width, designed to accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747.

Developed with a $230 million grant from China, the airport had previously remained largely inactive due to delays in marketing the facility internationally and the failure of aviation and port authorities to engage consultants for its commercialisation. However, regular flight operations have now commenced, marking a new chapter in the airport's journey.