ISLAMABAD – Despite restrictions on travel and tourism and the prevailing security challenge in the country, the Islamabad International Airport stood out in terms of welcoming passengers.
According to the official figures shared by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, the airport saw the highest-ever passenger inflows for the year 2023.
As per the figures, the airport operated 11,000 local flights and helped to manage 1.5 million passengers. On the other hand, the international flight count crossed 20,000 with a total passenger count of 4.5 million.
Collectively, the airport handled 6 million passengers through 31,000 local and international flights combined which is a testament to the efficiency of the airport and the workers managing the opeations.
‘The airport’s 31,000 flights reflect its busy and active operations, with a diverse range of connections. The increased passenger count also highlights the airport’s significance as a major aviation gateway,’ PCCA said in the social media post on Monday.
It bears mentioning that the government has already decided to outsource the operations at the Islamabad International Airport for 15 years for which preparations are underway.
According to the Aviation adviser, a Transaction Advisory Services Agreement (TASA) had been signed between the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to outsource the operations of three international airports in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.
The successful bidder for Islamabad International Airport will be disclosed after the bidding process is completed and as far as the timeline is concerned, the award of concession for outsourcing is expected to be completed before June 2024.
As far as the services to be outsourced are concerned, the government has clarified that only the operation and management of specific airport components would be outsourced, while critical services such as the Air Traffic Control Tower, Rescue and fire Fighting Services and Air Navigation services would remain under the administrative control of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.
