Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore should undergo a major expansion, with a new terminal aimed at improving passenger experience and reducing congestion.
The project is expected to be completed by September 2026, according to the civil aviation authority (CAA), said Express News
The new terminal will considerably improve airport facilities, including an increase of six times in immigration meters and triple expansion of the luggage handling capacity.
Key upgrades of the new terminal
According to Dr. Tauqeer Iqbal, the project leader at the CAA, the expansion will introduce:
- Department of immigration meters: increase from 10 to 64
- Immigration counters on arrival: increased from 18 to 80
- Security checks: doubled from 4 to 8
- Registration counters: increased from 25 to 67
- Customs inspection points: increased from 12 to 24
- Passenger boarding bridges: extended from 4 to 6
- Luggage conveyor belts: increased from 2 to 6
Once finished, the terminal will have the capacity to manage more than 12 million passengers per year, which has considerably relaxed the congestion of the airport and reduce long waiting times.
Currently, 5 to 5.5 million passengers travel to Allama Iqbal airport each year, with 48 to 55 flights arriving and leaving daily. With international travel restrictions, the number of flights to Europe and the United Kingdom should increase, resulting in an overall increase in passenger traffic.
The expansion is designed to meet the travel demand for the next 15 to 20 years, guaranteeing improved installations for national and international passengers, including those traveling for Hajj and Omra.
The existing airport terminal will be appointed for international flights, while the new terminal will mainly aim at domestic flights, with a few counters allocated to international departures and arrivals.
Passengers can expect advanced installations, similar to those found in modern international airports, including dedicated parking solutions, better access to starting areas and improved boarding bridges.
The project progresses 24 hours a day, emphasizing passenger-infraction insurance by tackling long waiting times, luggage handling problems and parking constraints.
