Clarification: CAA refutes rumours of closing down BKIA
Officials say instead airport will be expanded to provide more facilities
PESHAWAR:
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) refuted speculations that Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) will be closed down. Instead, its officials say, there are plans to provide more facilities at the airport.
Earlier this week, rumours were rife in the provincial capital that BKIA was being closed down as the number of flights was being reduced. It was believed all traffic would be diverted to new airports which will be established in Mansehra and Islamabad in the near future. However, CAA officials have termed these speculations baseless and misleading.
“Expansion work is currently under way at the airport,” a senior CAA official at BKIA, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune. “This clearly suggests we don’t have any plan to close down the airport. Whoever has spread these rumours has a hidden agenda.”
According to the official, BKIA is the only airport which facilitates passengers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the tribal belt and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas and will continue to perform this function.
When contacted, CAA Spokesperson Pervez George reiterated the airport was being expanded to provide more facilities to the public and is not being closed down.
Reduced traffic?
According to one CAA official, since the matter has not been discussed in any official meetings, it would not be fair to comment on whether the airport is being closed down.
“As far as I know, only a few airlines which are owned by prominent political figures are being facilitated at BKIA as compared to national and private airlines,” he said. “However, we have not received any information about plans to close down the airport.”
Similar reports of the airport’s closure were brought to the fore in November 2014. However, the CAA had rejected speculations that operations would be suspended and said Rs300 million had been approved to expand the airport.
However, night operations have remained suspended at BKIA since October 2014 in view of the deteriorating law and order in the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 11th, 2015.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) refuted speculations that Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) will be closed down. Instead, its officials say, there are plans to provide more facilities at the airport.
Earlier this week, rumours were rife in the provincial capital that BKIA was being closed down as the number of flights was being reduced. It was believed all traffic would be diverted to new airports which will be established in Mansehra and Islamabad in the near future. However, CAA officials have termed these speculations baseless and misleading.
“Expansion work is currently under way at the airport,” a senior CAA official at BKIA, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune. “This clearly suggests we don’t have any plan to close down the airport. Whoever has spread these rumours has a hidden agenda.”
According to the official, BKIA is the only airport which facilitates passengers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the tribal belt and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas and will continue to perform this function.
When contacted, CAA Spokesperson Pervez George reiterated the airport was being expanded to provide more facilities to the public and is not being closed down.
Reduced traffic?
According to one CAA official, since the matter has not been discussed in any official meetings, it would not be fair to comment on whether the airport is being closed down.
“As far as I know, only a few airlines which are owned by prominent political figures are being facilitated at BKIA as compared to national and private airlines,” he said. “However, we have not received any information about plans to close down the airport.”
Similar reports of the airport’s closure were brought to the fore in November 2014. However, the CAA had rejected speculations that operations would be suspended and said Rs300 million had been approved to expand the airport.
However, night operations have remained suspended at BKIA since October 2014 in view of the deteriorating law and order in the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 11th, 2015.