First commercial landing held on upgraded runway at Karachi airport

The first commercial aircraft successfully landed on the fully reconstructed and upgraded Runway 07L/25R at Jinnah International Airport on Wednesday, marking a major milestone in Pakistan’s aviation infrastructure development.

The historic landing was carried out by an Airblue flight (PA-171) arriving from Jeddah. The aircraft departed at 6:48am and touched down at 12:20pm, officially commencing regular flight operations on the newly upgraded main runway.

The aircraft was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute upon arrival.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said the state-of-the-art Code 4F runway has been reconstructed in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and is capable of handling the world’s largest commercial aircraft, including the Airbus A380.

Read More: Karachi airport’s main runway upgrade reaches 53%, says PAA

The project was completed at a total cost of Rs8,305 million within 18 months while keeping airport operations functional. According to officials, the initiative achieved zero schedule overrun, zero cost overrun, zero contractual claims and zero harm incidents.

The reconstruction and extension work included enhancements in runway length, pavement strength, taxiways, overruns and installation of energy-efficient lighting systems. Authorities said the improvements are expected to strengthen operational safety, increase capacity and ensure reliability for the next 25 to 30 years.

Director General Pakistan Airports Authority, Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, said the successful landing reflects Pakistan’s commitment to modern, safe and efficient aviation infrastructure, adding that the timely and cost-effective completion sets a new benchmark for public infrastructure projects.

Karachi remains the country’s busiest aviation hub, and the completion of the upgraded runway is expected to further enhance its operational capability and strategic importance.