"Lahore airport is a test of nerves" : Waqar Younis

[hadi123]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="pt"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lahore Airport is a test of nerves. Security,,Immigration,,CheckInn,,Passport Control and when you think its over then comes another Security Control..It took me more then an hour to pass all these tests...Airport tooo small for the kind of traffic <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReviewPlease?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ReviewPlease</a></p>— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) <a href="https://twitter.com/waqyounis99/status/985718091983327233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">16 de abril de 2018</a></blockquote>
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Waqar Younis doesn't seem too impressed. What are your experiences of Lahore airport? I have never been there, in Pakistan I have only ever been to Karachi.

 

[mmkextreme_1]

He is right, the airport is to small for the volume it handles.

But they are currently working on expanding the terminal.

Here is the render:



After this is constructed (hopefully will be completed), should help a lot. They are already almost done with the underground parking deck.

 

[DeadBall]

My experience was smooth as there weren't many people there at the time. Also am surprised that unlike the common man, Waqar had to go through all that. I mean how could a precious hour from his time be wasted when people spend hours and hours of their time going through these security checks. He should post a video regarding this fiasco and refer to himself in the third person ASAP.

 

[Gotham Cronie]

Hate going to this airport. As soon as you land, porters run up to you begging for you to take their service. Even after saying politely 2-3 no thank you, they keep being annoying. Once, one of them grabbed my luggage anyway and started pushing my cart and then acted disrespected when I refused to pay. When leaving, customs officials have never failed to try and get me to give them a bribe to let me pass without going through my luggage.

 

[Varun]

The solution to get better and more efficient airports in the sub-continent is to privatize, privatize, privatize.

The difference before and after is night and day.

 

[Madplayer]

My experience was smooth as there weren't many people there at the time. Also am surprised that unlike the common man, Waqar had to go through all that. I mean how could a precious hour from his time be wasted when people spend hours and hours of their time going through these security checks. He should post a video regarding this fiasco and refer to himself in the third person ASAP.

You forgot that he should also return back to where he came from.

 

[IAJ]

Generally about AirPort experience in Pakistan ( ISB and LHR);
They need to Invest in modern equipment. Too many manual controls of baggage and when it’s 45 degrees Celcius and children are crying, wants to go to toilet etc this surely is a test of patience.
Just have one desk for check in like other AirPorts.

And then this rubbish of photo-copies of passports and stamps. To much hassle really. That is why I always say it is very difficul to enter Pakistan legally, much easier for terrorists etc.

And the luggage corruption needs to end as well, can not believe it is still going on.

 

[DW44]

Lahore in general is a test of nerves. If I ever become president, first order of business will be mandatory driving lessons for Lahorias and Multanis. The number of times I almost got ran over while walking on what passes for a sidewalk in this joke of a city in the last two months is orders of magnitude higher than the number of times I've almost been run over in the 27 non Lahore years before that (the Multan period notwithstanding). The weather and the hyperconservative people just make things worse.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Punjab (Pakistani) Police are one of the worst human beings I've had bad luck to meet, near Lahore airport. I am generalizing but this police department are a bunch of pathetic bunch. Corrupt.

 

[DW44]

Punjab (Pakistani) Police are one of the worst human beings I've had bad luck to meet, near Lahore airport. I am generalizing but this police department are a bunch of pathetic bunch. Corrupt.

You need to have an encounter with Sindh Police outsode Karachi, preferably in rural Sindh, to see what the words corrupt and pathetic mean. Punjab police are amateurs by comparison.

 

[the Great Khan]

I just got back from islamabad and it was a test of nerves. But the checks were relatively efficient, and it took an hour. But I can understand why they do them. The officials were relatively respectful and not rude. Just followed their instructions and it went ok. Took time as there were five flights so always good to get there four hours before time. Cant wait for them to give the airport back to the PAF.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

You need to have an encounter with Sindh Police outsode Karachi, preferably in rural Sindh, to see what the words corrupt and pathetic mean. Punjab police are amateurs by comparison.

Damn. That explains a lot.

My condolences with people who have to endure these thugs with a smile every day.

 

[Slog]

You need to have an encounter with Sindh Police outsode Karachi, preferably in rural Sindh, to see what the words corrupt and pathetic mean. Punjab police are amateurs by comparison.

Sindh police in Karachi is worse with locals with no understanding of the city since almost all of them aren't from Karachi

 

[JaDed]

The solution to get better and more efficient airports in the sub-continent is to privatize, privatize, privatize.

The difference before and after is night and day.

True I remember the early2000s airports worst service ever, one example is the Bagdogra airport ,I mean so much crowd in that airport but local thugs aren't allowing it to expand, and they legit had coolies outside.

It's the only air gateway to Siliguri which in turn goes to Nepal,Bangladesh,Sikkim , Darjeeling and probably more,talk about Bengal being so inefficient, although Kolkata airport looks amazing.

I have to say though because of airport improvement it's amazing,but all airports look the same to me ,glass and steel.

 

[Syed1]

For international flights I've only ever been through the Karachi airport and although the process is long and at times seems quite redundant (what is the need to check me 2 or 3 times) but it is fairly efficient and it takes about 30-45 mins from the time you enter the airport till you get to your gate waiting for boarding.

 

[babajee]

The only problem i’ve ever had is getting into the airport itself... when airlines like Etihad, Emirates etc are departing at similar times it is hell.

 

[Kroll]

Coming back to Manchester last November, I had a terrible experience, a lot of flights had been delayed due to fog or the incessant smoke that you get in Lahore these days. Thus, it was such a challenge in just trying to reach the check in desk as the entry points leading to the doors of the terminal were rammed with passengers and there was so much pushing and shoving. But I'm glad I made it to the plane eventually.

 

[DeadBall]

You forgot that he should also return back to where he came from.

Yep, hilarious. However, I only traveled domestic to Lahore though as I mostly landed in Karachi and once in Islamabad during international flights.

 

[blackanhyellow]

HAHAHA

Waqar should try flying from Bacha Khan "International" Airport, Peshawar.

He will appreciate all other air ports a lot more.

 

[Mamoon]

HAHAHA

Waqar should try flying from Bacha Khan "International" Airport, Peshawar.

He will appreciate all other air ports a lot more.

I genuinely think it is the worst airport in the world, because I cannot imagine how an airport can be worse.

If your first impression of Pakistan is the Peshawar Airport, you would think that you have ended up in Afghanistan by mistake.

The infrastructure and organization is a joke, and if the luggage trickles along on a torn belt. You have to wait for like two hours to collect your stuff.

I usually take the VIP lounge so I don’t have to deal with long queues, but the renovation these days have made things worse.

It needs a complete overhaul from scratch. Shut down the airport for a year, bulldoze it and start from zero.

 

[DW44]

HAHAHA

Waqar should try flying from Bacha Khan "International" Airport, Peshawar.

He will appreciate all other air ports a lot more.

I once had a flight from there delayed by 11 hours (PIA's fault, not the airport's) and they served everyone food from the airport. Somehow, there was a hornet (those big ones in Peshawar that are, ironically enough, black and yellow) in my 250ml bottle of Pepsi. To this day I can't figure out how it got there, at ~10pm no less.

 

[blackanhyellow]

I genuinely think it is the worst airport in the world, because I cannot imagine how an airport can be worse.

If your first impression of Pakistan is the Peshawar Airport, you would think that you have ended up in Afghanistan by mistake.

The infrastructure and organization is a joke, and if the luggage trickles along on a torn belt. You have to wait for like two hours to collect your stuff.

I usually take the VIP lounge so I don’t have to deal with long queues, but the renovation these days have made things worse.

It needs a complete overhaul from scratch. Shut down the airport for a year, bulldoze it and start from zero.

I agree. Needs a complete reconstruction. Also the security is a nightmare to get through. I get that it is necessary for that area, but man, I have never encountered so many air port security check points in my life, and that is not even including the military check points on the way to the air port.

I once had a flight from there delayed by 11 hours (PIA's fault, not the airport's) and they served everyone food from the airport. Somehow, there was a hornet (those big ones in Peshawar that are, ironically enough, black and yellow) in my 250ml bottle of Pepsi. To this day I can't figure out how it got there, at ~10pm no less.

Doesn't surprise me at all.

But PIA from Peshawar airport, talk about double trouble.

 

[Mamoon]

I agree. Needs a complete reconstruction. Also the security is a nightmare to get through. I get that it is necessary for that area, but man, I have never encountered so many air port security check points in my life, and that is not even including the military check points on the way to the air port.




Doesn't surprise me at all.

But PIA from Peshawar airport, talk about double trouble.

My father worked for the government so thankfully I am able to bypass the security checks with his service card. However, it is certainly a nightmare for regular citizens.

 

[babajee]

My father worked for the government so thankfully I am able to bypass the security checks with his service card. However, it is certainly a nightmare for regular citizens.

You aren’t a regular citizen... Having a father in the government gives you a sense of entitlement ???

 

[Adijazz1706]

You aren’t a regular citizen... Having a father in the government gives you a sense of entitlement ???

Don't believe everything you hear on the internet bro Also, if his dad being a government servant gives the benefit of bypassing some of the security, that's hardly Mamoon's fault

 

[pakistan cricket fan]

I did't have much off a problem except when you go inside is to much rush by the gate.

 

[Halaribo]

My father worked for the government so thankfully I am able to bypass the security checks with his service card. However, it is certainly a nightmare for regular citizens.

And there we have it.

 

[Mamoon]

You aren’t a regular citizen... Having a father in the government gives you a sense of entitlement ???

And there we have it.

No need of doing bhangra.

It is not misuse of authority; it is a privilege that has been 'legally' provided by the Government of Pakistan, as recognition for years of service at a certain post. My father was Chief Commissioner FBR KP, which means free healthcare for his immediate family (wife and children) in all public hospitals in Pakistan, and a lifetime service card that allows us to bypass security checks.

 

[Mamoon]

Don't believe everything you hear on the internet bro Also, if his dad being a government servant gives the benefit of bypassing some of the security, that's hardly Mamoon's fault

It is no one's fault. It is a privilege provided by the government of Pakistan to bureaucracy.

 

[Greenstorm]

It is no one's fault. It is a privilege provided by the government of Pakistan to bureaucracy.

Is it written somewhere on the card or is there a law that family can use service card to bypass security checks ? I do not think it is perfectly legal. It has just become a norm.

 

[Slog]

Pakistani airports in general are a pain (tbh I've been to only three ie LHR KHI and ISB old one)...

Of the three Karachi is easily best and most well managed despite having the most traffic

Let's hope new ISB airport is good

 

[Mamoon]

Is it written somewhere on the card or is there a law that family can use service card to bypass security checks ? I do not think it is perfectly legal. It has just become a norm.

I do not carry the card with me personally. It is always there in my father’s car, and that is why I use his car when I have to go the Peshawar Airport. The MP guys specifically ask for a service card, and they do realize that it is my father’s.

What is part of law and what is norm are not always clear. However, if you live in Peshawar and have to deal with the security checkpoints every 2 kilometers, you would do anything to bypass the security measures.

People do not realize what the residents of Peshawar have to go through on daily basis. If you live in the cantt area, you have to go through 10 military guys just to buy eggs from the supermarket.

 

[UP]

What’s up with the photocopies of your passport and a thousand rupees charge in ISB when you are to depart?

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Airports are the face of the nation and Lahore Airport is the worst representation of its denizens.From entry to exit, it’s a tortuous & dehumanising experience.1 entry door to let in hundreds of passengers & hundreds to welcome hundreds coming out of 1 exit point!@ImranKhanPTI</p>— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) <a href="https://twitter.com/iramizraja/status/1074945431694647296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[King-Misbah]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Airports are the face of the nation and Lahore Airport is the worst representation of its denizens.From entry to exit, it’s a tortuous & dehumanising experience.1 entry door to let in hundreds of passengers & hundreds to welcome hundreds coming out of 1 exit point!@ImranKhanPTI</p>— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) <a href="https://twitter.com/iramizraja/status/1074945431694647296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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There is nothing wrong with Lahore airport. I was there a month ago and the staff was curious, facilities were not bad. Time these celebs live like us normal citizens. To use words like dehumanizing is rather extravagant.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Airports are the face of the nation and Lahore Airport is the worst representation of its denizens.From entry to exit, it’s a tortuous & dehumanising experience.1 entry door to let in hundreds of passengers & hundreds to welcome hundreds coming out of 1 exit point!@ImranKhanPTI</p>— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) <a href="https://twitter.com/iramizraja/status/1074945431694647296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The keyword is: "dehumanising experience"

And both Waqar and Rameez are local legends. Imagine if you are a nobody

It needs a complete overhaul from scratch. Shut down the airport for a year, bulldoze it and start from zero.

I second that [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] they should do the same with Lahore.

And what's up with random people who are just there to past an afternoon

 

[Gotham Cronie]

There is nothing wrong with Lahore airport. I was there a month ago and the staff was curious, facilities were not bad. Time these celebs live like us normal citizens. To use words like dehumanizing is rather extravagant.

Lahore Airport is terrible.

 

[King-Misbah]

Lahore Airport is terrible.

What is wrong with it?

 

[aukhan]

Sindh police in Karachi is worse with locals with no understanding of the city since almost all of them aren't from Karachi

Majority of them are Punjabis but the few locals (urdu speaking) you will find are no different either. The whole institution is corrupt. Its a profession of gundas.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

The airport is trash and the FIA officials placed there are corrupt to the core.

First-hand experience in this case hence can say with 100% authenticity.

 

[King-Misbah]

The airport is trash and the FIA officials placed there are corrupt to the core.

First-hand experience in this case hence can say with 100% authenticity.

Have you been recently since PTI took over? I found the staff to be curteous.

 

[Gotham Cronie]

What is wrong with it?

As soon as you land, porters run up to you begging for you to take their service. Even after saying politely 2-3 no thank you, they keep being annoying. Once, one of them grabbed my luggage anyway and started pushing my cart and then acted disrespected when I refused to pay.

When leaving, customs officials have never failed to try and get me to give them a bribe to let me pass without going through my luggage.

Why they need to check my passport and boarding pass 5 times between entry and the gate is beyond me. There are two instances where there is literally nothing that separates two check points besides walking around a corner 10 feet apart.

In the canteen area near the gates, there are shops that will sell drinks for around 100 or 200 rupees but that will claim they don't have change for less than 500 so they ask you to buy at minimum that amount.

 

[King-Misbah]

As soon as you land, porters run up to you begging for you to take their service. Even after saying politely 2-3 no thank you, they keep being annoying. Once, one of them grabbed my luggage anyway and started pushing my cart and then acted disrespected when I refused to pay.

When leaving, customs officials have never failed to try and get me to give them a bribe to let me pass without going through my luggage.

Why they need to check my passport and boarding pass 5 times between entry and the gate is beyond me. There are two instances where there is literally nothing that separates two check points besides walking around a corner 10 feet apart.

In the canteen area near the gates, there are shops that will sell drinks for around 100 or 200 rupees but that will claim they don't have change for less than 500 so they ask you to buy at minimum that amount.

Yes, the porters can be annoying but you have to be stern and they will back off.

Security is necessary and is instrumental for everyone's safety. I had no issue with customs; in fact the attitudes of all airport staff was very different as compared to before. Shahryar Khan At risk has made a massive positive impact and kept them in line. I was in Pakistan a month ago.

Going ahead to the shops; may be they never had change for real? I worked in a shop and we ran out of change often. Keep in mind, 100 rps for a drink is peanuts. I had to pay £8 for a mediocre yougart at the Abu Dhabi airport.

Conclusion: Things are definitely improving but it will take time. If you want a better service; pay extra and go through the lounge. Everything is much quicker. I have been to worse airports where everything takes ages. Keeping that in mind; Lahore airport is not bad.

 

[sjahmed23]

It was really a bizarre experience last time I was at Karachi Airport. Everyone had suspicious looks, people with fake documents trying to bribe fia officials let them thorough, one guy even had a immigration official talk to some guy named 'shahbaz' to provide credence to his claim, but it was not the real 'shahbaz' so he got cursed at and thrown away.

I didnt have US passport at that time so my documents were scrutinized and I was questioned if they were even real. If you're traveling alone they make your life miserable for no reason than if you are traveling with family.

 

[MenInG]

Absolutely no complaints, my travel through this ariport was as good and comfortable as it gets.

 

[gazza619]

Absolutely no complaints, my travel through this ariport was as good and comfortable as it gets.

I am guessing Waqar and Rameez landed at a time when a few flights overlaped

 

[Blistering Barnacle]

New Islamabad airport is heaven compared to the old hellhole.

Parking is easy, traffic is fine, and the process of checking in etc is quick.

 

[Bewal Express]

New Islamabad airport is heaven compared to the old hellhole.

Parking is easy, traffic is fine, and the process of checking in etc is quick.

There are reports today saying it's falling apart already.

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

Bangladesh airport is much more worse, no development whatsoever.

 

[MenInG]

One area where Lahore Airport should be able to improve is free wifi

At the moment you need to have Pakistan number to get wifi code which kinda defeats the purpose

Otherwise, airport is fine and does its job.

Parking etc is similar to many other public buildings in Lahore so not much one can say.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

All airports in Pakistan are a severe test of ones nerves.

Barely any staff at anytime of the day/night and they don't have any manners on how to talk and behave. Some people are rude but it doesn't mean they all have the same attitude with all the others who come or go from the airports.

The new Islamabad airport has to be one of the worst as it's infrastructure is so bad and there's barely anything that is worth talking about there. Mostly seen people coming and going to be complaining of lack of staff and all other things.

 

[Hasan2K8]

You guys don't have it as bad as us. trust me.. Talk about test of nerves, read what we have to go through, or been through and now only go through on way back from Bangladesh.

Going to Bangladesh. London HR to Sylhet direct flights available, so it lands direct in Sylhet Airport, as 100% of the passengers are Sylhet divisional people, it's no rocket science to fly it direct to Sylhet than stopping in Dhaka to change for a domestic plane then to get to the real destination of the passengers which is Sylhet. Which was the case before and so much hassle people went through after landing in Dhaka aiport, waiting for so long then, people rushing to get tickets, some would miss first flight then get on the next one. From personal experience, I went there 2003/4 after landing in Dhaka, when the time came to get tickets, freaking hell as a young boy stood there how the hell am I going to get the tickets, counter service had no line and were bombarded with people jumping about for tickets and luckily the guy at the counter saw and spotted me just standing there behind in the queue like how we would do waiting about behind the line in UK in supermarket, in in traffic, so he called me up and gave me the tickets. But now they allowing direct flights, so its lot easier to go there now...No issue, Alhamdulilah!

But, here comes the real main issues. its on the way back. We have to go take flight to Dhaka from Sylhet, stay in the hotel, then next day get to the Dhaka airport then wait another some hours sometimes more delays, then eventually get to LHR. Now for, single adults or couples it may not be as bad going through this trouble, but the sick, elderly, young kids,babies, women that are flying a lone its not easy. The hotels are rubbish, the service is poor, many dont feel safe to go there, as many incidents took place in the past where people been harassed even beat up for no reason. many have fallen extremely sick going through this nonsense having to stay in the rubbish hotels they keep you, providing poor service.
Now you may think why is that they do this? No idea whatsoever, they waste so much money doing this. They pay for domestic flight to take you to Dhaka, then even though the hotels are rubbish and poor service where they keep for a night it is still expenses wasted as they have to book not one but many hotels and its going out of Biman Bangladesh or BD gov.



I wonder. If this happens in Pakistan? Do people from smaller city have to go Islamabad airport then take flight from there, and having to stay a night there in the hotel as well?

 

[Varun]

But, here comes the real main issues. its on the way back. We have to go take flight to Dhaka from Sylhet, stay in the hotel, then next day get to the Dhaka airport then wait another some hours sometimes more delays, then eventually get to LHR.

You don't need to do this anymore - Biman's LHR service is a triangular DAC-LHR-ZYL-DAC-LHR run and you needn't deboard/transit at DAC at all. The reason there isn't a ZYL-LHR direct flight is due to the lack of long-haul refueling facilities at Sylhet Osmania Intl.

The 2 new Dreamliners have now taken over the route from the 77Ws, which are now used for Saudi runs.

 

[Hasan2K8]

You don't need to do this anymore - Biman's LHR service is a triangular DAC-LHR-ZYL-DAC-LHR run and you needn't deboard/transit at DAC at all. The reason there isn't a ZYL-LHR direct flight is due to the lack of long-haul refueling facilities at Sylhet Osmania Intl.

The 2 new Dreamliners have now taken over the route from the 77Ws, which are now used for Saudi runs.

Sylhet Airport has enough space to expand, it is international, and they can easily add the remaining facilities needed. But, why do we have to go and stay a night there in Dhk on way back to LHR? why couldn't there be biman ready say within few hours we get to Dhk airport, I would not mind waiting for 2-3 hours but having to stay the night in some rubbish hotel with poor service, and lot risks. They even take your passport at the hotel without giving you any papers that you handed your passport to them. the pain we go through, only we will know. I don't like the excuses they'll make. I'm sure a plan has enough time to be ready for an important route, huge amount come through and to go back safely and pleasantly.

 

[Usman]

I flew from Lahore to Karachi a couple years back and I have to say, I don't recognise the complaints being made by Waqar and Ramiz. Yes it's not the most sophisticated airport in the world and the facilities are a bit basic, but it does the job just fine.

In fact there was so little security checking on my trip that I was a bit concerned about what might have slipped through. So Waqar's comments about endless security checking are unrecognisable to me, unless the procedures have changed/are different for international flights.

If you want to see what painful airports are really like, try flying from Muscat to London. Beautiful sophisticated large airport but endless security checks, including one before the plane's entrance. Weirdly, they make you throw away all liquids at this point, despite the fact that between the last security check and this one, the only way to get your hands on liquids is by buying them in duty free. So I had this ridiculous situation where I had just bought myself a soft drink from Pret to consume on the plane but had to throw it away before I boarded the plane!

Strangely, there were no such double security checks when I flew a week earlier from Muscat to Dubai. I'm not sure if they reserve this double security check policy for London bound flights only.

 

[Mamoon]

Islamabad airport is fantastic considering our pathetic standards. All the stories of it falling apart and the mismanagement etc. sound exaggerated because people do not want to associate anything good with the previous government.

Sure there must be a few problems here and there, but they are expected considering it is still very new, and besides, it is Pakistan after all.

 

[shaz619]

Credit to PTI once again, they are moving the needle it's great to see

 

[reversehook]

I once had a flight from there delayed by 11 hours (PIA's fault, not the airport's) and they served everyone food from the airport. Somehow, there was a hornet (those big ones in Peshawar that are, ironically enough, black and yellow) in my 250ml bottle of Pepsi. To this day I can't figure out how it got there, at ~10pm no less.

bhai you were drinking the energy drink called STING, to make your time go smoothly

 

[reversehook]

lhr airport they shamelessly ask for bribes and is tiny... karachi airport is a little better, but always over crowded and uncomfortable, plus i had the guy try to weasel his way in trying to find something wrong in my documentations when there was nothing... Islamabad old airport was the better of the three, but still way below par of what you expect from an airport... I haven't used the new one yet so cannot comment there.

The key to these airports was arriving early for your flight, if you are just on time (or 1- 1.5 hrs early only) or late then you are asking for trouble, the guys will try to hassle you enough for you to bribe them.... so always give yourself time, LOTS OF TIME, and then find the VIP lounge regardless of ur ticket class, and purchase something from within (tip the waiter, it helps from getting ousted if u are not a vip), and relax... these two things always helped...

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lahore Airport needs immediate attention...If we can fix Kartarpur in days there is no reason why we can’t fix Lahore Airport in a hurry. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeriousMess?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SeriousMess</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Painful?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Painful</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a></p>— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) <a href="https://twitter.com/waqyounis99/status/1218518099164528641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[minamino]

I used to get VIP bypass before the current govt so I had no idea how bad it was but now I have realized it and the toilets are even worse than you would find on highway restrooms. Another thing is that the porter and the officials are thieves, I remember going back to UK and the airport official bypassed me through all the checks fairly quickly and the check in as well and dropped me to CIP Lounge and he asked me for money, I said I don't have PKR, He said that give me dollars so I give him like 10 dollars and then he left and asked for money from my relatives as well who were waiting for me to board at the entrance of airport.

 

[moghul]

I go to my hometown Lahore every year and I do not face any particular problem. Waqar probably did not get the VVIP treatment he was expecting, how dare they ask him any question and his luggage went through screening. People like him are OK to wait for hours in some US or any western airport but can;t wait for minutes in Pakistan.

 

[Chikkeh]

Airports can be built but the real problem is the staff. Corrupt to the core they need to bring some international standards in, maybe bring in another company the manage the airports.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Pakistan seems to be bogged down with security checks in general. You can't go to a shopping mall without being scanned, never mind the airport. Lahore roads are the craziest I've ever seen. Four lane motorways become six lanes with rickshaws and motorbikes squeezing into gaps which don't even look to be there.

 

[MenInG]

Not sure what planners had in mind with Lahore airport - the security check before entering the boarding gates area is so small - what capacity planning did they do?

 

[MenInG]

The immigration thing is a fishmarket and a free for all - just glad that our airport staff do what they can to help out - the coronavirus check is little haphazard and all over the place!

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Some images of Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore. Adequate seating arrangement has been made to ensure social distancing. <a href="https://t.co/hjRSMoAMeS">pic.twitter.com/hjRSMoAMeS</a></p>— PCAAOfficial (@official_pcaa) <a href="https://twitter.com/official_pcaa/status/1253213998960513025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

Due to the timely action of air traffic controller (ATC) at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, an aircraft of a foreign airline narrowly escaped an accident on Sunday.

The pilot of Gulf Air Flight 764, coming in from Bahrain to Lahore, tried to land the passenger plane on a runway under construction, but the ATC stopped the aircraft from landing on that runway.

By timely stopping the plane from landing on the under-construction runway, the plane which was only 200 feet above the ground, narrowly escaped an accident.

Sources said that the passenger plane changed its landing direction and landed on the second line, as directed by the ATC.

The pilot also appreciated the performance of the ATC, which helped thwart an accident at the Allama Iqbal International Airport.

Express Tribune

 

[Adi_62945]

People complaining about Allama Iqbal International Airport did not travel from old lahore airport where load shedding was a common occurrence (personally experienced).
Full credit to PMLN for constructing new airport as well as islamabad airport based on international standards (some how).
Airport in lahore is okish if there are regular 2-3 international flights at the same time but it became awfully unimaginable experience if flights number exceeds 3 or more, you will have parking issues, travel queues outside the terminal entry, luggage checking issues (they dont have advanced scanners tho), welfare provisions, bad-worst management etc to name a few.
All in all it need to be upgraded and management has to improve on and bring some professional manners in order to treat travellors

 

[Saj]

Some friends recently returned from Lahore. He was telling me that the people ahead of him in the queue were having trouble with the officer at the check-in desk as their luggage was way overweight. Eventually a manager showed up to sort out the issue.

He sorted the issue out by taking a backhander, slipping it into his pocket and allowing them to check all of their luggage in.

 

[gazza619]

Travelling anywhere and by any means in Pakistan is a test of nerves mate.

 

[shaz619]

Some friends recently returned from Lahore. He was telling me that the people ahead of him in the queue were having trouble with the officer at the check-in desk as their luggage was way overweight. Eventually a manager showed up to sort out the issue.

He sorted the issue out by taking a backhander, slipping it into his pocket and allowing them to check all of their luggage in.

Why hasn’t IK addressed this issue

 

[Major]

Why hasn’t IK addressed this issue

Like i said, live in this country and you would know nothing has improved

 

[Double Trouble]

Any airport in PK is test of nerves

My too recent trips to both the new Airport in Islamabad & Sialkot was excellent thank you IK for assisting the passengers.

I still remember around :10, years ago i traveled to the old Islamabad Airport with 3 small kids as the Mrs went a few weeks before us.

It was the only Airport in the world that had asked me to send my suitcases through the scanner on arrival. Explained bhai my cases are much bigger than the scanner itself with only kiddies clothes in both. The man in question whispered £20 will bypass the scanner which i refused to pay. In goes the large suitcase which eventually got stuck in the scanner. What a carry on as it too 4 guys to rip it out of the scanner the nutters .

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Like i said, live in this country and you would know nothing has improved

IK was there only now, wat did other parties do for decades ruling the country only to loot money and build Panama paper projects.

 

[shaz619]

Like i said, live in this country and you would know nothing has improved

I know some relatives who travel there often always complain about that bribe aspect and also how long winded it can be to get paperwork approved.

Am sure there are bigger issues perhaps but this is something which I gather has been there for decades and should be improved, maybe would encourage travel and foreign investment to

 

[MenInG]

The government on Friday decided to engage international operators to help run three major airports of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi with a view to attracting direct foreign investment and providing world-class facilities to passengers.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the matters pertaining to the aviation sector, a PM Office statement said.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Jahanzeb Khan and relevant senior government officials participated in the meeting.

It was decided that the government would hire the services of operators of international repute to run three major airports – the Jinnah International Airport, Islamabad International Airport and Allama Iqbal International Airport – in the first phase.

As per the plan, the international operators would help run the said entities for a period of 20-25 years.

Express Tribune