Due to the increasing demand for cargo business, Emirates Airlines looks forward to establishing a major cargo hub at Karachi Airport.
According to the reports, Emirates has requested 90,000 square feet of space at Karachi Airport’s cargo terminal. The airline is already running the largest cargo business in Karachi. Over 27,000 tons of cargo were transported from Karachi alone in 2024.
As compared to Emirates Airlines, the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) only handled 2000 tons of cargo in 2024, due lack of resources and planning.
The airport’s authority has started working on the request to allocate space to the Emirate for its cargo hub.
A month ago, Emirates had officially launched its new travel store in Karachi. This made the airline’s first experiential retail concept rolled out in West Asia.
The store was inaugurated by Essa Sulaiman Ahmed, the Emirate’s Senior Vice President for commercial operations in West Asia and the Indian Ocean.
On the other hand, PIA became the first airline to make a historic landing at the new Gwadar International Airport, earlier this week.
Read more: Gwadar International Airport to begin operations on January 20th
PIA flight PK-503 departed from Karachi at 9:50 AM with 46 passengers on board and touched down at Gwadar’s state-of-the-art facility at 11:15 AM, marking the official commencement of operations at the newly inaugurated airport.
Defence and Aviation Minister Khwaja Asif welcomed the flight at the airport. He emphasized the significance of the airport in the development of Pakistan. “This new airport is not just an aviation hub; it’s a symbol of Gwadar’s emerging role as a critical point for trade and development,” said the minister during the welcome ceremony.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of PIA expressed pride in the historic flight. He called the addition of the Gwadar Airport in the network as a gateway for regional and global trade.
The airport will enhance Pakistan’s connectivity, offering additional access to the UAE, Europe, the Far East, Central Asia, and Africa. The first-ever commercial flight of PIA at the Gwadar International Airport received the water salute in a welcoming gesture.