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Benazirabad Airport

Benazirabad Airport (Formally Nawabshah Airport) (IATA: WNS, ICAO: OPNH) is an airport located about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) southwest of Nawabshah, a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh. It has one runway, which has a length of 2,743 metres (8,999 ft). Built by the British Raj, Benazirabad Airport does not handle any scheduled passenger flights, but it has been used as a diversion airport. It is also used by the Pakistan Air Force.

History

The airport dates to the time of the British Raj. In the early 1960s, a concrete runway was laid. A new terminal building was completed in October 1992, and a new apron and runway were commissioned in 1998.[1]

Nawabshah Airport does not receive any scheduled flights as of November 2016.[2] It has been used as a diversion airport for aircraft suffering mechanical problems or when Jinnah International Airport in Karachi is closed, during the 2014 Jinnah International Airport attack for example.[3][4][5] In addition, the Pakistan Air Force operates at the airport alongside the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.[1]

Infrastructure

Nawabshah Airport covers 772 acres (312 ha) and has a concrete runway, 02/20, with dimensions 2,743 by 46 metres (8,999 ft × 151 ft).[1][6] It cannot handle instrument landing system approaches.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Nawabshah Airport". Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Stranded Air India passengers to land in Delhi". The New Indian Express. 9 July 2012.
  3. ^ Ali, Z; Hasan, Saad (10 July 2012). "'False alarm': Emergency-hit Indian plane makes Nawabshah stop". The Express Tribune.
  4. ^ "Shaheen's planes suffer mishaps in Karachi, Lahore". Dawn. 22 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Three flights diverted to Nawabshah airport". The Express Tribune. 10 June 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Nawabshah - OPNH". DAFIF. October 2006. Archived from the original on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2016.