Gilgit Airport

Gilgit Airport (IATA: GIL, ICAO: OPGT) is a small domestic airport situated 1.25 nm (2.3 km) east of Gilgit,[4] a city in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The city of Gilgit is one of the two major hubs for all mountaineering expeditions in the northern areas of Pakistan.

Gilgit Airport
گلگت ہوائی اڈا
Summary
Airport typePublic
ServesGilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Elevation AMSL4,796 ft / 1,462 m
Coordinates
Map
GIL
GIL
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
07/25 1,646 5,400 Asphalt
Statistics (2017-18[1])
Passengers38,197
Passenger change12.5%
Aircraft movements1,104 Sources: DAFIF[2][3]

Structure
A picture of Gilgit Airport taken in the month of December 2015. Runway can be seen.
ATR 42-500 on Gilgit Airport. Picture taken on July 10, 2016

Because of its short runway located at the edge of a slope, Boeing 737s and similar-sized jet aircraft cannot operate at Gilgit Airport. However, with the development of jets with proven short field performance (like the Airbus A220-100 which operates into London City Airport), it could be possible to reconsider jetliner service. Pakistan International Airlines operates ATR 42 aircraft on the Gilgit-Islamabad route. Other aircraft that operate at the airport include the military Lockheed C-130 Hercules. In the past, Fokker F-27 Friendship was being used but later it was replaced by ATR 42.

A new terminal was constructed in 2014 which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. This terminal included modern check-in facilities as well as different arrival and departure sections.

This airport when planned, composed of the land twice as big as it is now. But due to excessive water leakage from the ground, the land was used to create a public park in the vicinity of this airport. The park was named as CAA Park or City Park Gilgit. The leakage was caused due to excessive bombings on this area during the war period.

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
Pakistan International Airlines Islamabad

Accidents
  • On August 25, 1989, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 404, a Fokker F27 carrying 54 people, disappeared after leaving Gilgit in northern Pakistan. The wreckage has not been found.[5]
  • On July 20, 2019, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 606, an ATR carrying 53 people skid off the runway and slammed on the grass. All the passengers were evacuated safely however the plane suffered considerable damage. It is still present in Gilgit airport.[6]

See also

References
  1. http://www.caapakistan.com.pk/AT/AT-EO-Stats.aspx
  2. Airport information for OPGT at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.Source: DAFIF.
  3. Airport information for GIL at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  4. AIP Pakistan: OPGT – Gilgit Archived 2007-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Aircraft accident Fokker F27 Friendship AP-BBF
  6. Aircraft accident ATR-42


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