Allama Iqbal International Airport (IATA: LHE, ICAO: OPLA) is Pakistan's second largest civil airport after Jinnah International Airport. It is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan and is commonly known as Lahore International Airport. It is named after the poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal who was a major proponent for the foundation of Pakistan. The airport currently has three terminals; the Allama Iqbal terminal, the Hajj terminal, and a cargo terminal. The airport is located about 15 kilometres from the centre of the city.
History:
At independence, Walton Airport was the main airport of the city. When PIA acquired jet-engined airliners such as the Boeing 720s, Walton was unable to handle the large aircraft. This meant that the Government decided to build a brand new airport which was inaugrated in 1962. It was commonly known as the "Lahore International Airport" and was able to handle aircraft as large as the Boeing 747.
Over the course of the next 40 years the demand for air travel rose. It meant that the government decided to build a new world class airport to meet the growing needs for the future and improve the facilities for its passengers since the old airport was becoming obsolete. In 2003, "Allama Iqbal International Airport" was inaugrated and is now the second largest airport in Pakistan. All flights were switched to the new airport and the old airport was passed onto the military. However, during the Hajj period, the old airport is used as a Hajj Terminal by the national carrier, PIA.
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