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Total 1 airports of LHE

LHE Allama Iqbal International Airport
Allama Iqbal International Airport (IATA: LHE, ICAO:OPLA) is located in the the city of Lahore, Pakistan. It is the primary international airport serving Lahore and its surrounding metropolitan area. Phone Number :+924299031000

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IATA Code

LHE

ICAO Code

OPLA

Name

Allama Iqbal International Airport

Type

Main Airport

Country / Region

Pakistan (PK)

City

Lahore

Latitude

31.5216007

Longitude

74.4036026

Time Zone

UTC+05:00

Phone Number

+924299031000

Est. Unit Price

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Airport Overview

Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE)

Allama Iqbal International Airport is the principal international gateway for Lahore and a significant air logistics access point for Punjab, Pakistan. Located approximately 15 kilometres from Lahore city centre, it is a mixed passenger-and-cargo airport with a dedicated cargo terminal alongside the Allama Iqbal and Hajj terminals. For international freight forwarders, the airport is best assessed as a passenger-led gateway with cargo handling capability: routing, acceptance windows, customs release and onward trucking should be confirmed for each shipment rather than assumed from published airport status.

Airport / location	Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, Pakistan
Codes	IATA: LHE \| ICAO: OPLA
Coordinates	31.5216007, 74.4036026
Local time	UTC+05:00
Airport profile	International civilian airport serving Lahore and the wider Punjab catchment; passenger terminals plus a cargo terminal

Key Highlights

What Forwarders Should Assess First

Punjab gateway: The airport supports Lahore’s large manufacturing, trading and consumer market and can serve origins or destinations beyond the city through controlled road feeder arrangements.
Passenger-and-cargo operating model: Cargo availability is linked to the confirmed airline, aircraft type, ULD position and handling acceptance, not solely to airport cargo-terminal status.
International documentation sensitivity: Accurate consignee details, commercial values, HS classification and customs instructions are important for avoiding holds during import or export processing.
Time-critical planning: Transit can be affected by airline connections, security screening, customs examination, handling cut-offs, public holidays and road conditions around Lahore.
Special cargo requires pre-clearance: Dangerous goods, pharmaceuticals, perishables, live animals and oversized pieces should be accepted by the airline and handling agent before cargo is delivered.

Cargo Facilities & Services

Facility Planning for Air Freight

Allama Iqbal International Airport has a cargo terminal according to the supplied airport record. The exact handling agent, warehouse process, temperature capability, acceptance schedule and customs status may vary by airline and shipment type; our service team verifies these details before confirming an operational plan.

General cargo handling

Routine export and import cargo is normally routed through the appointed airline or ground-handling process. Piece count, dimensions, gross weight and packaging should match the booking data.

Screening and build-up

Security screening, weighing, acceptance checks and ULD or loose-cargo build-up are subject to airline and handler procedures. Delivery before the confirmed cargo cut-off is essential.

Temperature-sensitive freight

Cold-chain, pharmaceutical and perishable shipments require confirmation of available cool-room access, acceptance timing, transfer exposure and recovery procedures before uplift.

Dangerous goods and special cargo

DG, batteries, chemicals, live animals, valuables and oversized cargo require commodity-specific acceptance. Warehouse storage, segregation and airline approval must be checked shipment by shipment.

Routes & Transit Times

Routing and Connection Considerations

International freight may move on direct services when available or through airline hubs in the Gulf, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe or other approved connecting points. Actual route and carrier depend on booking date, capacity, commodity and destination.
For destinations without a suitable direct uplift, our service team compares connection options by total transit, transfer risk, terminal handling requirements and final-mile delivery feasibility rather than by flight time alone.
Export timing is influenced by cargo acceptance cut-off, security screening, customs release, airline documentation approval and the availability of confirmed onward capacity.
Import timing may be affected by arrival paperwork, customs inspection, duty or tax processing, terminal release and delivery appointment restrictions. No transit time should be treated as guaranteed until the airline confirms the shipment.

Planning rule: We quote an indicative transit range only after checking the current schedule, connection point, cargo characteristics and destination handling conditions. Flight frequency and routing are subject to change.

Hinterland & Key Cargo

Lahore and Punjab Cargo Profile

Textiles and apparel: Garments, fabrics, samples and production inputs are common candidates for air freight when replenishment speed or buyer deadlines outweighs cost.
Engineering and industrial goods: Machinery parts, electrical components, tooling and maintenance spares may require careful packing, accurate dimensions and rapid customs coordination.
Electronics and commercial samples: High-value, compact cargo benefits from secure packaging, piece-level records and an agreed delivery chain.
Perishables and food-related shipments: Agricultural, horticultural or food products require confirmation of temperature control, sanitary documentation, packaging and import-country requirements.
Regional road catchment: Lahore is the primary commercial node, while other Punjab origins may need scheduled trucking. Our team assesses road distance, border or provincial movement constraints and delivery appointment requirements.

Operations & Compliance

Airport-Specific Risk Controls

Confirm cut-offs in writing: Airline cargo cut-off and warehouse delivery time can differ. We obtain the applicable acceptance deadline after the booking is created and allow time for screening and customs formalities.
Prepare complete documents: The commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill instructions, export declaration and any commodity-specific permits must be consistent in shipper, consignee, description, quantity, value and country details.
Declare regulated cargo correctly: Lithium batteries, aerosols, chemicals, magnetized materials, dry ice and other regulated articles must be identified before booking. DG declarations, packing instructions and labels must follow the applicable airline and IATA requirements.
Control customs and delivery release: Customs examination, valuation questions, import permits, duties or taxes and terminal release can extend dwell time. Our service team coordinates with the broker and consignee before arrival whenever possible.

Shipping Tips

Recommended Booking Workflow

Send the commodity description, HS code, number of pieces, dimensions, gross weight, ready date and destination before requesting a firm option. This allows our team to screen capacity and special-cargo restrictions.
Use rigid, moisture-resistant packaging with visible piece identification. For textiles, electronics and high-value goods, include internal protection and a packing method suitable for repeated handling.
For temperature-sensitive cargo, specify the required temperature range, allowable exposure, packaging qualification and whether dry ice is used. Do not tender until the airline and handler confirm the process.
Keep a contingency option available through another approved hub or an alternative Pakistani gateway when capacity, customs timing or final-destination connectivity makes the original plan unsuitable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Practical Questions from Forwarders

Can Allama Iqbal International Airport handle export and import air cargo?: It has a cargo terminal and supports international civilian aviation operations. Acceptance depends on the selected airline, handling agent, commodity, documentation and available capacity, so our team confirms the complete handling chain before tender.
Can a shipment be booked on any airline serving Lahore?: No. Passenger presence at the airport does not automatically mean suitable cargo acceptance. We check the airline’s cargo contract, aircraft belly capacity, commodity restrictions, cut-off and destination connection before booking.
How early should cargo be delivered?: The exact cut-off varies by airline, flight, commodity and security process. We provide the confirmed warehouse delivery deadline after booking and recommend additional buffer for customs, screening, large pieces or special handling.
What documents are usually required for export cargo?: Typical requirements include a commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill data and export or commodity-specific documents. The final list depends on the goods, origin, destination and applicable customs controls.
What should be done if cargo misses the planned connection?: Our service team requests the airline’s rebooking status, verifies storage or temperature exposure, updates the consignee and evaluates an alternative routing. Revised transit is subject to confirmed capacity and handling approval.

Data Sources & Provenance

Data Basis and Verification Boundary

Airport identifiers, name, location, coordinates, terminal description, city distance, timezone and historical throughput figures are based on the supplied airport record for Allama Iqbal International Airport. Operational details that can change—airline schedules, cargo cut-offs, handling agents, acceptance rules, customs processing and special-cargo capability—must be reconfirmed for each shipment.

For independent reference on international airport and air-cargo standards, consult iata.org and icao.int. Our service team uses current airline, handler, customs and destination-country instructions when issuing a shipment-specific plan.