RAWALPINDI: Prime Minister Shahid Khagan Abbasi will officially inaugurate the new Islamabad International Airport (IIA) today (Tuesday).

However, the flight operations at the airport will commence on Thursday (May 3).

The much-awaited opening will move all commercial and VIP flights from Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA) to the new airport located about 35 kilometres in the west of the capital city.

The opening of the airport was earlier set to be held on April 20 but it was delayed to May 3 due to some technical problems and security issues.

The objective to inaugurate the airport by the prime minister two days before it starts operations was to avoid public gathering during the inauguration.

International carriers, including Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways, Thai Airways, China Airlines, Oman Air, Etihad Airways, Saudi Airways, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways and Turkish Airlines, operate flights to and from Islamabad along with PIA, Shaheen Air and Air Blue.

On Tuesday, the national flag carrier`s commercial flight PK-300 will take off from Karachi`s Jinnah International Airport and touch down at the IIA at about 11am. Later, PK-301 will depart from the new airport for Karachi at 12:30pm.

PIA spokesman Mashood Tajwar told Dawn that PK-300 would be the only commercial flight that would land at the new airport on the eve of its inauguration. However, full flight operations will be shif ted to the new airport on May 3. He said the first commercial flight of PK-301 would take off from the new airport for Karachi.

He said the passengers of the first flight would be welcomed by PIA President and Chief Executive Officer Musharraf Rasool Cyan. All arrangements have been finalised for the smooth transition of flights to the new airport.

PIA`s passenger handling service team and other operational staff have been deputed at the new airport to facilitate the passengers on May 1.

On Monday, a contingent of the Airport Security Force (ASF) carried out a rehearsal to present guard of honor to the chief guest on the eve of the inaugural ceremony.