Arrangements at BKIA: Approach lights installed to aid flight operations

Work under way to resume night operations

PESHAWAR: Instrument Landing System (ILS) and approach lights have been installed at Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) to help flights land and take off from the facility.

The decision has been taken to ensure security at BKIA amid rumours that the facility would be closed down. Speaking to The Express Tribune on Saturday, a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) official said, “We had to work hard to keep the airport operational. Therefore, we took strict action and established security within and around the facility.” He said there were unconfirmed plans to shut down BKIA. “However, since it is the only international airport across the province, we could not let his happen. The idea was trashed on May 10, 2015,” he said.

According to the CAA official, ILS and approach lights will ensure flights operate from both ends.

Flight operations

He said since the firing incident on the PIA passenger plane on June 24, 2014, at the 3-5 [commonly known as Bara Road] end, authorities started working on making the 1-7 [commonly known as University Road] end functional so that planes could take off and land from both ends.

Officials at the Air Traffic Control (ATC) confirmed the developments by saying flights were operated from both the ends. However, this will only happen during the day. They added work was under way to make approach lights operational to enable flights to take off and land at night.

BKIA Manager Tahir Sikandar said flights could operate from both the ends. He said majority of the flights landed from the 3-5 end of the runway and took off at the 1-7 end. “Almost 90% of the flights land at the 3-5 end, but since we have installed ILS and approach lights at the 1-7 end, flights can now operate from both sides, even if the night operations are resumed,” Sikandar told The Express Tribune.

He said the airport was being expanded and more facilities will be provided to passengers since BKIA was the province’s only international airport, and over 35 national and international flights operated from the facility every week.

Keeping in view the influx of passengers at BKIA, the federal government approved to expand the rather threadbare airport and a sum of Rs2 billion was allocated for expansion work. The work is expected to be completed in 18 months.

Backdrop

Security arrangements on passenger planes have become a crucial concern ever since unidentified gunmen opened fire at a PIA airoplane on June 24, 2014 while it was landing at BKIA.

The gun attack resulted in the death of a passenger while two others, including a crew member, were injured. As a result, all international airlines suspended their services at the airport, due to security concerns, which were however resumed later.

On October 10, 2014, the CAA decided to temporarily suspend flight operations at night, in view of deteriorating law and order in the provincial capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2016.