Not to be confused with New Gwadar International Airport.

Gwadar International Airport


گوادر بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا
Summary
Airport typeJoint-use airport
OwnerPakistan GoP Aviation Division
OperatorPakistan Airports Authority (formerly)
ServesGwadar
LocationGwadar Tehsil, Makran Division, Balochistan, Pakistan
Opened1966; 59 years ago (1966)
ClosedJanuary 20, 2025; 5 months ago (2025-01-20) [1]
Elevation AMSL32 ft / 10 m
Coordinates25°13′56″N 62°19′38″E / 25.23222°N 62.32722°E / 25.23222; 62.32722
Websitecaapakistan.com.pk
Map
OPGD is located in Balochistan, Pakistan
OPGD
OPGD
Location of airport in Pakistan
OPGD is located in Pakistan
OPGD
OPGD
OPGD (Pakistan)
OPGD is located in South Asia
OPGD
OPGD
OPGD (South Asia)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 6,502 1,982 Bitumen
Sources: CAA AIP[2][3]

Gwadar International Airport (GIA) (IATA: GWD, ICAO: OPGD) was an airport in the Makran Division of Pakistan's Balochistan province, located 9 mi (14 km) north of the city center of Gwadar City. The airport was closed to civil air traffic in 2025, after the construction of the modern New Gwadar International Airport. [2]

History

[edit]

The airport project was launched as a swiftly achievable, high-priority initiative within the CPEC programe in 2014.[4] Former PM Imran Khan had laid the foundation of GIA on 29 March 2019.[5][6] This greenfield airport will include a modern terminal building alongside a cargo terminal, with refrigeration facilities for perishable items, with an initial handling capacity of 30,000 tonnes a year. GIA will have the capacity to accommodate wide-body aircraft including Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 and narrow-body aircraft such as ATR-72 and Boeing 737-900ER.[7][8][9]

On 1 August 2023, the National Assembly of Pakistan adopted a resolution to change the name of the New Gwadar International Airport to honor Feroz Khan Noon. The initiative was put forth by Aliya Kamran, Rana Qasim Noon, and Sabir Hussain Qaimkhani during the assembly session. Additionally, the assembly approved another resolution urging the government to rename the Gwadar International Airport in tribute to Feroz Khan Noon. This decision was rooted in recognising his instrumental role in securing Gwadar for Pakistan through an agreement with the Sultanate of Oman during his tenure as Prime Minister.[10]

The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority awarded the design to build contract of the new airport to the China Communications Construction Company (CCC).[11] The airport was opened on 14 October 2024 in a ceremony led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.[12] The opening was however initially planned for 14 August 2024, to coincide with the Pakistani Independence Day celebrations, but was delayed due to protests organized by the BYC.[13]

The airport's first international flight took place on 10 January 2025, with a flight to Muscat, the capital of Oman.[14] The initial plan for the flight was to happen on 1 January 2025, but was delayed because of BLA activity.[13] The airport became fully operational on 20 January.[15] In Late January 2025, the first Airbus aircraft, an Airbus A319, registered as A6-RRJ, operated by Rotana Jet and as a special flight by the UAE, landed at the airport’s runway 25.

In February 2025, the Associated Press reported that the airport has "no planes, no passengers", and that the rationale for constructing it when the existing airport only serves three flights per week remains "a bit of mystery".[16]

Airlines and destinations

[edit]
AirlinesDestinations
Pakistan International Airlines Karachi[citation needed], Muscat[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "NOTAM". Pakistan Airports Authority. Retrieved 1 July 2025. CONSEQUENT UPON OPERATIONALIZATION OF NEW GWADAR INTL AIRPORT (OPGW) WEF 20TH JAN,2025, THE EXISTING GWADAR INTL AIRPORT (OPGD) WILL BE CLSD FOR ALL SKED/NON-SKED TFC AND ALL OTHER FAC HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN)
  2. ^ a b "eAIP-Aerodomes-Gwadar (OPGD)". Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Gwadar International Airport". Pre-Bifurcation CAA website. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014.
  4. ^ 20 May 2022 (20 May 2022). "New Gwadar international Air port to be operational by 2023". Daily Times. Retrieved 10 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Prime Minister Open Work On New Gawadar Airport". UrduPoint. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Pakistan's Gwadar International Airport will be the largest in the country". gulfnews.com. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Development of Gwadar will benefit entire world: PM". www.radio.gov.pk. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  8. ^ "New Gwadar International Airport | China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Official Website". cpec.gov.pk. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  9. ^ Zafar, Mohammad (29 March 2019). "Imran launches work on mega projects in Balochistan". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  10. ^ "NA passes resolution to rename Gwadar International Airport after Feroz Khan Noon". August 2023.
  11. ^ "New Gwadar International Airport". cpec.gov.pk. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  12. ^ "China's premier inaugurates a Beijing-funded airport at the start of a Pakistan trip". Associated Press. 14 October 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Pakistan delays opening of New Gwadar International Airport for third time due to security threats". The Economic Times. 8 January 2025.
  14. ^ "State-run Pakistan International Airlines resumes direct flights to Europe after EU lifts ban". AP News. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  15. ^ "Pakistan's largest airport becomes operational, part of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative". AP News. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  16. ^ https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-china-gwadar-airport-balochistan-militants-81ecfc16827015321183a1f5a52e631d
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