A group of prominent businessmen have announced the launch of Air Karachi, a new airline that would fill in the holes in Pakistan’s commercial aviation industry.
Atif Ikram Sheikh, president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), made the statement on Thursday.
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh is one of the key shareholders in the airline, which is a cooperative venture with well-known corporate investors and business executives.
These businesspeople are working together to revitalize Pakistan’s aviation sector.
According to Sheikh, the alliance has already committed to a Rs5 billion first seed investment, with more funding and finance to be provided as needed for international operations, new domestic routes, infrastructure development, and fleet growth.
He said, “This airline will be truly transcontinental.”
The ultimate objective of Air Karachi is to recover international routes where Pakistani airlines formerly flourished, starting with three leased, cutting-edge aircraft for internal flights.
The head of the FPCCI emphasized that Air Karachi has registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and intends to lease three cutting-edge aircraft in order to start operating domestically.
International flights will be part of the airline’s next phase, which aims to recapture profitable routes that Pakistani airlines formerly proudly operated.
Sheikh stated that in order to maintain profitability, Air Karachi will put operational and management effectiveness first, shunning tactics like price gouging and profiteering.
The airline will follow global best practices in aviation and management, including those related to in-flight amenities, environmental regulations, schedule dependability, passenger safety, and customer service before and after flights.
Pakistan’s national carrier’s decline and the absence of competing, high-quality commercial airlines have had a detrimental effect on the nation’s economy, tourism, and worldwide reputation, Sheikh added, which is why the effort was launched.
