History
At the time of the creation of Pakistan, Walton Airport was the main airport of Lahore. When Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) acquired jet aircraft such as Boeing 720s, however, Walton was unable to handle the large aircraft. The Government of Pakistan thus decided to build a brand new airport, which opened in 1962 as Lahore International Airport and was able to handle aircraft as large as the Boeing 747.
Over the course of the next 25 years the demand for air travel rose. It meant that the government decided to build a new world class airport to meet the growing needs for the future and improve the facilities for passengers since the old airport was becoming obsolete. In 2003, Allama Iqbal International Airport was inaugurated and is now the second largest airport in Pakistan after Jinnah International Karachi. All flights were switched to the new airport and the old airport was passed onto the military. However, during the Hajj period, the old airport is used as the Hajj Terminal by the national carrier, PIA.
Read more about this topic: Allama Iqbal International Airport
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