Bumpy Ride: Airport runway shut briefly
The runway was cordoned off and repair work is ongoing.
According to airport officials, the ditch was identified just before an Airblue flight was ready to take off. PHOTO: CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
PESHAWAR:
Operations at the Bacha Khan International Airport were suspended on Saturday as the airport closed temporarily for air traffic after a ditch developed on the runaway.
According to airport officials, the ditch was identified just before an Airblue flight was ready to take off. The runway was cordoned off and repair work is ongoing.
“Since the airport is being used by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jointly, a meeting of the base commander and airport authorities is underway,” said an official. The schedule for five flights, out of which four were international, was disturbed.
This is not the first time operations have been suspended at the airport; in other instances rockets fired by militants have fallen within the airport limits.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2013.
Operations at the Bacha Khan International Airport were suspended on Saturday as the airport closed temporarily for air traffic after a ditch developed on the runaway.
According to airport officials, the ditch was identified just before an Airblue flight was ready to take off. The runway was cordoned off and repair work is ongoing.
“Since the airport is being used by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jointly, a meeting of the base commander and airport authorities is underway,” said an official. The schedule for five flights, out of which four were international, was disturbed.
This is not the first time operations have been suspended at the airport; in other instances rockets fired by militants have fallen within the airport limits.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2013.