Allama Iqbal International Airport (IATA: LHE, ICAO: OPLA) (Punjabi, Urdu: علامہ اقبال بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا) is the second largest civil airport in Pakistan, serving Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. Originally known as Lahore International Airport, it was renamed in 2003 for Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal, the Islamic poet-philosopher who was a major advocate for the creation of the state of Pakistan, upon the opening of the new terminal building.
The airport currently has three terminals: the Allama Iqbal terminal, the Hajj terminal, and a cargo terminal. The airport is located about 15 kilometres from the centre of the city. A total of 3,192,904 passengers have travelled through Allama Iqbal International Airport in 2009 making it the 2nd busiest airport in Pakistan.
On 5 March 2010, the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan released a tender for the expansion of the airport. The number of check-in desks will be doubled from 24 to 48, as will the number of immigration counters from 10 to 20. The terminal will also be expanded and the area which was strategically kept aside for future expansion when the airport was built will be fully utilised.
Read more about Allama Iqbal International Airport: History, Structure, Airlines and Destinations, Statistics, Awards and Recognitions
Famous quotes containing the word airport:
“Airplanes are invariably scheduled to depart at such times as 7:54, 9:21 or 11:37. This extreme specificity has the effect on the novice of instilling in him the twin beliefs that he will be arriving at 10:08, 1:43 or 4:22, and that he should get to the airport on time. These beliefs are not only erroneous but actually unhealthy.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1950)