Jinnah airport. Photo: PPI (file)
Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport is ready to accommodate the Airbus A380 following the completion of upgrades to its main runway. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will operate the first flight on the upgraded runway on Thursday.
Runway 25R was upgraded within an 18-month deadline, and its classification was also improved after work on Runway 07L/25R. The runway can now handle wide-body aircraft.
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The Pakistan Airports Authority carried out the first test landing last month on January 3. Today’s flight marks the first operational landing since the renovation, accompanied by a traditional water salute.
The newly upgraded Runway 07L/25R was officially inaugurated on February 15 by Defence Secretary Lieutenant General (retd) Muhammad Ali.
The Code 4F runway, completed within 18 months according to International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 14 standards, is fully capable of handling Airbus A380 aircraft.
The project was completed on time and within budget, without any accidents or additional costs, reflecting Pakistan’s engineering and project management capabilities.
