Bahawalpur Airport

internationalBahawalpur Airport is situated 2 nm (3.7 km) from the city centre of Bahawalpur, in lower Punjab, Pakistan. The airport mainly caters the city of Bahawalpur, however, the national carrier decided to launch international flights to the Middle East in July 2009. The airport extension project is being supervised by the Dubai Civil Aviation Department.HistoryThe airport was re-developed from funds of the United Arab Emirates government. A new terminal has been constructed and was renamed after the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who helped fund and oversee its construction. On 9 November 2002 the first portion of 4400ft-long runway of the Bahawalpur airport was opened. A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Fokker F27 Friendship landed at the airport from Islamabad. The entire expenditure of the project is estimated to be Rs 260 million and most of it was borne by the ruler of Dubai. During November 2004, contractors began working on re-developing the old airport into a more modern and advanced facility.During the year 2005, he said the PIA had earned a record revenue of Rs 150 million, which was double as compared to the year 2004 from operating at this airport. On 21 January 2007, Phase two of the airport was inaugurated and Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, opened the facility and viewed the new amenities including the departures and arrivals halls.