Asian – Dispatch

Pakistani private airline Air Indus will restart flight operations after an 11-year suspension, starting with domestic routes from Karachi to major cities and later expanding to Gulf destinations pending approvals.

KARACHI: Pakistani private airline Air Indus is preparing to resume flight operations after an 11-year suspension, with plans to relaunch domestic services before expanding to international destinations.

According to the airline, the first phase of its revival will focus on domestic routes from Karachi, connecting major cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan, Gwadar and Skardu. Additional services between Quetta and Islamabad are also planned.

The carrier said it intends to operate a modern fleet comprising narrow-body jets for domestic and future international routes, while ATR 72-600 aircraft will be introduced later to serve regional destinations, including northern areas of the country.

In the second phase of its expansion, Air Indus plans to launch flights from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar to destinations across the Gulf, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Doha, Kuwait City and Muscat, subject to regulatory approvals.

Air Indus suspended operations in 2015 after changes to Pakistan’s aviation policy required scheduled passenger airlines to maintain a minimum fleet of three airworthy aircraft. The airline said it has since completed planning for its return and aims to restore services with an emphasis on safety, reliability and connectivity.

Source: Pakistan Today