ISLAMABAD: In what appears to be a good development, the federal cabinet is all set to give a greenlight of a regular public transport (RPT) licence for another private airline on January 25.
According to the details, the private airline, Q-Airlines, will commence its commercial operations with domestic flights in Pakistan. The new airline, owned by Ramada Hotels Group, will commence its domestic operations with a fleet of three Airbus-320 aircraft.
A private TV reported that the federal cabinet will give approval of the regular public transport (RPT) license for the airline on January 25.
Following this, the private airline will commence its flight operations within the next three-four months. In the first phase, Q-Airlines will operate flights between Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.
After the RPT license, Q-Airlines will become the fourth operational private airline in the country. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials said that the launch of a new private airline will generate many employment opportunities. Subject to a successful first year, the carrier may also go on to operate international services.
CAA is in the process of awarding operational permits to three new domestic airlines to provide a “breather” for local travel and tourism businesses badly hit by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Two of these startups have completed the necessary administrative processes, while the third remains under scrutiny.
Subject to a successful first year, the carriers may also go on to operate international services.
A CAA spokesperson said recently that Q-Airlines, Fly Jinnah, and Jet Green Airlines last week applied for Regular Public Transport licences to launch domestic flight operations.
“The process for permission to these airlines for starting domestic flight operations in the country is underway,” the spokesperson said.
“Apart from CAA, multiple government institutions are involved in the process; that may take time,” he added.
The RPT licenses would be issued after the completion of legal formalities and final approval from the federal cabinet, he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that AirSial, which is a venture of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), was given the go-ahead by Prime Minister Imran Khan to launch its operations.
The prime minister granted the approval during a meeting with local businessmen including AirSial Chairman Fazal Jillani. The delegation was led by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar, who called on the premier and Minister for Privatization and Aviation Muhammad Mian Soomro in Sialkot.
The local businessmen thanked the Prime Minister for extending cooperation for the launch of the airline. The airline is being launched jointly by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Sialkot International Airport.
The local business community of Sialkot had established the Sialkot International Airport on a self-help basis. Following the establishment of the airport, the business community in 2009 had decided to launch an airline to provide a cost-effective and reliable travelling facility to the community and others on both domestic and international routes.
The new airline secured an aviation license (Regular Public Transport – RPT) from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in October 2017. The airline plans to operate services to key destinations in Pakistan and the Middle East with three Airbus A320 aircraft.
