New Islamabad airport opening delayed once again, rescheduled to May 3, 2018
Travellers eagerly waiting for the opening of new Islamabad International Airport will have to wait few more days after the government delayed inauguration again by nearly a fortnight to May 3, 2018.
Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had announced that the new Islamabad International Airport (IIA) would start full operations on April 20. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is expected to inaugurate the airport.
The decision to delay the launch was taken by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Aviation Sardar Mahtab Khan on Wednesday after a visiting the new facility. He expressed his satisfaction over the overall preparedness for operationalization however he wanted the state of the art systems and equipment be tested and trialed before the opening.
The aviation advisor directed the CAA to complete additional tests and trials in order to improve the reliability and efficiency of systems at the new airport and to bring in line with international standards.
Check out: Photos of the New Islamabad Airport
During the tour, CAA Deputy Director General Amir Mehboob also gave a presentation to the media on the features of the airport.
“For that matter he gave directions to concerned authorities and particularly to CAA to do more tests and trials in order to improve reliability and efficiency of systems,” says a statement issued by CAA.
The construction of Pakistan’s biggest airport facility which began in 2007 took almost 11 years and is now going to cost Rs105 billion.
The new airport consists of four levels, two runways, six taxi links, three rapid taxiways, five aprons including a cargo apron and parking bays for wide-body aircrafts, a cargo terminal, air traffic control complex, fuel farm as well as fire, crash and rescue facility and 50-bed trauma centre had been built into the airport.
[dt_gap height=”10″ /]
