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PAKISTAN . Aviation & Airports

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A new runway at Faisalabad International Airport will be completed by October this year, enabling Boeing 777 aircraft to land, said Airport Manager Muhammad Anwar Zia.

Addressing Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here on Thursday, he added that the air cargo complex was also under construction and 75% of the work was expected to be completed before the runway becomes operational.

Zia expressed satisfaction over the available passenger load and air cargo and said that 102 domestic and international flights were successfully operating from Faisalabad airport.

He said the old runway could only accommodate small planes, which prompted authorities to construct a new runway for wide-bodied aircraft, in view of the projected increase of passengers and air cargo from the city and its catchment areas.



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The Sialkot based private airline, Air Sial, will be adding two Airbus A320 aircraft, with registrations AP-BOR & AP-BOS, to their fleet.

The airline is planning to start international operations after the addition of these aircraft bringing the fleet size to 5 A320s..


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Virgin Atlantic to expand operations in Pakistan

Company will increase frequency of direct flights between Lahore and Islamabad, and the UK

Daniyal Ahmad

LAHORE: After two years of successful operations in Pakistan, Virgin Atlantic will be expanding operations in the country with the inclusion of additional flights between Lahore and Islamabad, and the United Kingdom.

The airline’s decision to double down on Pakistan comes as part of its recovery efforts to recuperate its losses from the pandemic as it is strategically deploying its aircrafts based on demand.

It is set to join the SkyTeam alliance in early 2023 and will be the only British airline in the alliance as it seeks to enhance group services to and from London Heathrow and Manchester. Its decision to boost flights to and from Pakistan is likely based on the same rationale and can be even seen as complementary to it.

Virgin Atlantic has benefited from the exit of other airlines on the UK-Pakistan route with British Airways ceasing its Lahore-London operations earlier this year with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) still reeling from the aftermath of its licence debacle. The latter is particularly beneficial for Virgin’s operations.

The British airline will likely operate five two-way flights on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from Lahore to London. The airline will also operate four flights from Islamabad.

It may be noted here that PIA’s licence issue dates back to the crash of Flight 8303 on 22 May 2020 after which then Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan alleged that 150 pilots had fake licences. This led to the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) banning direct flights from Pakistan, and the government subsequently seizing the licences of 250 pilots. Licence issues have led the country’s national airline to lose out to what some report as 1,000 flights to and from the UK annually. It is likely that Virgin Atlantic is eyeing to take as much of this pie as it can.

PIA is hopeful that it will fully restore its European operations by early 2023, however, it remains to be seen whether it will be able to operate at the same scale prior to the licence scandal and Covid-19.

Commenting on the development, Virgin Atlantic’s Head of the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia Liezl Gericke stated that the decision to double down was a testament to the success that the airline had found in its Pakistan operations in terms of brand equity as load factors in September rose to 90 per cent between Pakistan and the UK.

Virgin Atlantic is a British airline that began its Pakistan operations in 2020 with its maiden flight between Mancheter to Islamabad. It was the second British airline to commence operations in Pakistan after British Airways returned to the country after a decade, in 2019.
 
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Fly Jinnah (FJ), a low-cost airline for domestic travel, declared that it has obtained the necessary permits to begin running flights out of Jinnah International Airport.

FJ is a joint venture between the Lakson Group, one of Pakistan’s largest business conglomerates, and the Air Arabia Group, which operates the first and largest low-cost airline in the Middle East and North Africa.
 
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Pakistan’s low-cost Fly Jinnah airline set to launch on October 31​

Operations will begin from Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad with fare as low as Rs13,999

News Desk
October 22, 2022


Fly Jinnah, Pakistan’s new low-cost carrier (LCC), is set to launch on October 31 after receiving its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and Air Operating License (AOL) earlier this month.

As per details, the operations will begin from Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad introductory one-way fare as low as Rs13,999.

The airline is offering a free 10-kilogramme hand baggage allowance as well as free in-flight entertainment.

Fly Jinnah is a Pakistani private joint venture budget airline. Founded in Karachi, Fly Jinnah follows the successful economical business model operated by Air Arabia, which focuses on offering comfortable, reliable and the best value for money in air travel.

Earlier this month, the airline announced that it had received its AOC and AOL which will allow the airline to start operating from Karachi International Airport as the country’s fifth private carrier.

Securing the AOC and AOL confirms that Fly Jinnah has met all the professional capabilities, adheres to all safety regulations, and has proven safe and secure to operate as a passenger and cargo airline following the completion of rigorous inspections by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) in which Fly Jinnah was found in full compliance with all technical and operational requirements set by PCAA, a statement issued by the airline said.

In March, Fly Jinnah revealed its visual brand identity. Fly Jinnah’s’ brand identity, with its brand name abbreviation ‘FJ’, has adopted the vibrant red as its main colour to reflect the young and modern spirit of the airline while the logo and brand identity consisting of its unique font and round-shaped symbol reflects motion and continuity.

Its brand values are Ambition – offering customers true value and connecting communities across the globe; Sincerity – honesty and willingness to achieve and grow while striving to improve; and Inventiveness – crafting creative solutions while remaining focused, practical, and efficient.

Inspired by the logo and the brand ethos, ‘Fly Jinnah’s’ aircraft livery reflects a modern airline that is aspiring, energetic, and constantly on the move.

Air transport supports over 30 million jobs and $684 billion in GDP in Asia and Pacific alone. Countries in Asia and Subcontinent are focusing on aviation as a catalyst for economic growth, supporting domestic and international connectivity, while contributing immensely to local employment.

Joint ventures in aviation have proven to be successful globally and are increasingly a commonplace. A typical JV model is for a parent airline group to have a minority share while local owners hold a majority share, marrying together local knowledge and world-class aviation expertise.

Almost all countries in the world follow the same policy of FDI in aviation that would permit up to 49 per cent foreign ownership. JVs provide significant social benefit to human capital through knowledge transfer and the development of local talents, by bringing in international experience, know-how, and training standards, into the local market.

Lakson Group and Air Arabia Group announced their decision to form a JV airline in Pakistan in September 2021. Fly Jinnah will follow the low-cost business model and provide its customer base with a reliable operation and value-driven product.
 
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PIA's first direct flight arrives in Beijing before PM visits China​


By Zafar Hussain | China Economic Net Oct 31, 2022



BEIJING, Oct. 31 (China Economic Net)-The first direct flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from Islamabad arrived in Beijing Sunday, two days before the expected arrival of Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at Beijing on 1 November.
After suspended operation between Beijing and Islamabad since February 10, 2020 due to COVID-19, PIA now officially resumed its operation between the two capital cities. The first flight PK-854 with 61 passengers on board arrived at Beijing Capital Airport at 14:55 pm local time on Sunday.
A Pakistani passenger Khan Raza told CEN that he is very excited to arrive in Beijing, adding that he has business in Beijing and a direct flight suits him.
" I was waiting for a direct flight to Beijing for the last two months and luckily I got one. Now I can resume my business activities. A direct flight has two major advantages for me. One is short distance, and secondly, low fare", he added.
Talking to China Economic Net, Abbasi Shahzad said he was studying in Beijing but was stuck due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The direct flight has facilitated him to resume his study right at his university in Beijing.
"I'm very happy today that I safely reached Beijing and the ticket I got is a much-discounted fare as compared to previous months. After quarantine, I will resume my off-line study", he stated.
It is to be noted that PIA is expanding its flight network for China and having direct flights to Chengdu, Xi'an, and Beijing and it is expected that PIA will start the Lahore-Guangzhou operation in December this year.

 
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A detailed video about Pakistan aviation industry and its different planes. Link is attached.Thanks.
 
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Fly Jinnah airline begins flight operations​

The new player in the market will operate daily flights between major cities

Our Correspondent
November 01, 2022

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KARACHI: Pakistan’s low-cost carrier, Fly Jinnah, has started flight operations as the fourth domestic airline.

The inaugural flight departed from Karachi to Islamabad on Monday afternoon. A cake was cut in the lounge of Jinnah Terminal at the flight’s departure and a water salute was presented by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as it landed at the Islamabad International Airport.

Air Arabia Group CEO Adel Abdullah Ali, Colgate Palmolive Pakistan and Fly Jinnah Director Zulfiqar Ali Lakhani, CAA Director General Khaqan Murtaza, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Saleem Mandviwala and Spokesman of Prime Minister Fahd Hussain were also present on the occasion.

Fly Jinnah COO Arman Yahya said that equipped with modern technology, the airline is crossing the milestone of starting air operations. He said that the airline will play an important role in the aviation sector as it provides passengers with an easy and comfortable means of air travel. There will be no compromise on safety and the operations are starting with three Airbus A320 aircraft, he added.

The COO said that domestic flights will run in the first year while international flights will start in the second year. Fly Jinnah will operate daily flights from Karachi to Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, and four flights to Quetta per week, he added.

He further said that flights will also reach small airports, including the one in Skardu.

Actors Behroz Sabzwari, Muneeb Butt and Aiman Khan, singer Faakhir Mehmood, and other passengers declared the journey comfortable and satisfying. They also expressed good wishes for the airline.

The airline’s management is confident that it will provide passengers with value-added products and services to offer convenient and comfortable means of air travel. They said that they are committed to working with partners to effectively meet the needs of the Pakistani market and to contribute to the tourism sector by providing the best travel facilities in the country.

Earlier this month, the airline obtained an air operator certificate and an air operating licence from the CAA, after which it received permission to start domestic flight operations.

The airline offers in-flight entertainment in all its aircraft and the customers can also enjoy a variety of hot food and beverages from the in-flight Sky Café at low costs.

The airline was announced in a joint venture between Lakson Group and Air Arabia Group in September 2021. Its head office has been established in Karachi.
 
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