Gwadar Airport Celebrates Inaugural International Flight to Muscat

The Gwadar International Airport celebrated a significant milestone on Friday by handling its inaugural international flight, connecting Gwadar to Muscat.

The national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), launched its inaugural flight PK-197 to Muscat, departing at 9:41 AM today.

Later in the afternoon, the same ATR aircraft will operate as flight PK-198, returning from Muscat to Gwadar.

The first commercial flight, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-503, departed from Karachi at 9:50 AM and landed in Gwadar at 11:15 AM on January 20, 2025. The flight carried 46 passengers and was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute upon arrival.

The New Gwadar International Airport is designed to accommodate both domestic and international flights, capable of handling large aircraft like the Airbus A380. It is expected to serve up to 4 million passengers annually.

Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office announced that Gwadar Airport would be capable of accommodating A-380 aircraft and handling up to four million passengers annually.

The airport is set to include facilities such as cold storage, cargo sheds, hotels, shopping malls, and banking services provided by the State Bank of Pakistan. Additionally, PIA plans to increase its Karachi-Gwadar flights to three times a week, while discussions are underway with private airlines and carriers from China, Oman, and the UAE to introduce both domestic and international services.