Main runway of Lahore airport closed for one and a half year

LAHORE: The main runway of the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, has been closed for one and a half year for repair works, ARY NEWS reported on Wednesday.

A secondary runway at the Lahore airport, L-36, would be used as an alternate runway during the period, said a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The runway was closed after the CAA approved a requisition from the airport authorities to repair the main runway.

The airport manager while divulging the details, said that the main runway would be closed for one and a half year.

“Long-range and heavy planes will not be allowed to land on the alternate runway,” he said as aviation authorities have directed the airlines to minimize the number of passengers and fuel quantity while landing at the secondary runway of the airport.

On February 13, 2019, the flight operations at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore were suspended due to repair works at the runway.

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According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the runway was immediately closed for the repair after a captain of Paris-Lahore bound flight informed the authorities about cracks in the runaway, which he witnessed at the time of landing.

“Repair of the runway was underway on a war footing and it would be reopened around 2:30 pm today,” the CAA official said.