First international flight takes off from Gwadar airport for Muscat

The first international flight took off for Muscat from the Gwadar airport on Friday with 39 passengers aboard.

The development comes just days after the facility in Pakistan’s Balochistan province began commercial operations after a months-long delay.

A security review, prompted by a string of attacks by militants in Balochistan in August last year, had delayed the airport’s opening to the end of 2024 from Aug 14. The airport was then due to begin operations on Jan 10 but finally opened this Monday as a Pakistan International Airlines flight arrived from Karachi.

Pakistan hopes the $246-million Chinese-backed project, which will handle both domestic and international flights, will become one of the country’s largest airports.

“First international flight departs from New Gwadar International Airport to Muscat,” national carrier PIA, which operated the flight, said in a statement, adding that it would initially run one weekly flight to Muscat.

“PIA is committed to activating air operations across the country in line with national aspirations and public needs.”

Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said the Gwadar airport would be able to handle A-380 aircraft and accommodate four million passengers annually.

The airport will eventually feature facilities like a cold storage, cargo sheds, hotels and shopping malls, with banking services arranged through the State Bank of Pakistan, according to the PM’s office. 

PIA has also planned to increase flights between Karachi and Gwadar to three times a week, while discussions are ongoing with private airlines and carriers from China, Oman and the United Arab Emirates to launch both domestic and international services.