This Pakistani airport records highest passenger flow in 2023

Pakistan’s Islamabad International Airport (IIAP) recorded its highest passenger flow ever in the year 2023 with a whopping six million people passing through.

According to the spokesperson Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), out of this number, domestic flights saw about 11,000 trips transporting approximately 1.5 million passengers. Similarly, international ones served around four and a half million individuals.

The airport noted an exceptional figure of flight operations which sums up to about 31,000 movements all reflecting the day-to-day busy status it keeps running with diverse connections, he said.

He said that the surge in passenger volume underlines IIAP’s pivotal role as an extensively used aviation gateway too.

It is pertinent to mention here, that the government decided to outsource Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad International Airports.

Sources said the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkiye, China and Saudi Arabia are taking special interest in outsourcing all three airports۔

Following the decision to outsource, the CAA unions launched a protest movement. After continued protests, the then Aviation Minister, Khawaja Saad called on the leaders of the unions for negotiations, but talks failed.