Pakistan’s economy is progressing over time but after the COVID19 pandemic, one sector that has witnessed the decline is the Pakistan aviation sector. Air travel has been upended completely. And now, it’s high time to wake it up from the pandemic effects or else it can heavily affect our economy.
There are only a few airlines in Pakistan, out of only one or two meet customers’ expectations. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) used to be the best but since 2000, its performance has nearly brought it to the stage of bankruptcy.
Despite the recent new entrant AirSial, the airline industry is still limited. The Arabian Business termed Pakistan as the large sleeping giant in aviation. Still, there are a lot of opportunities to grab but the one who notices can turn it better.
Since there aren’t a lot of airlines in Pakistan, here we will bring some of the few airlines in Pakistan left for people to trust.
1. SereneAir
SereneAir is headquartered in Islamabad. It started its domestic flight operations in 2017. It’s a privately owned Pakistani airline. Muhammad Safdar Khan is the CEO of the company. For four years, the airline has been operating domestic flights and has successfully carried over 3 million passengers. In February 2021, the airline onboarded its first international flight to Riyadh KSA. Now, SereneAir strives to make air travel more fun and comfortable for people for both national and international flights.
When we ask customers about its reviews they still have complaints especially when it comes to refunding and in-flight entertainment. Some of them also highlight the poor customer services provided by the airline after the travel ban was lifted in Pakistan. Launched with outstanding services, the airline can outgrow if they enhance their customer services and flight operations.
2. Airblue
If you’re looking for a cheaper option for a domestic flight then Airblue is your go-to airline. The one-way ticket for a domestic flight cost Rs. 12000. Like Serene, it’s also headquartered in Islamabad. It’s Pakistan’s second-largest airline. Airblue’s fleet consists of next-generation Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. The airline was established in 2003 by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Tariq Chaudhry, a Pakistani-American IT professional. Within two years after its operations, the airline launched its first international flight to UAE. And after another two years, Airblue launched its inaugural flight to Manchester using the Airbus A321.
When it comes to customer reviews, the airline was good in its initial years but now after the pandemic, Airblue is receiving complaints regarding its operations such as delays, flight cancellations, refunds, and online payments. Now when the travel ban has been lifted and people are looking to strengthen ties of tourism with other countries, our airlines aren’t matching the pace.
3. Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan’s first leading international airline was founded in 1954 as Orient Airways. After its launch, it became one of the fastest-growing airlines in Pakistan and that too at an international surface. It was also the first Asian airline that operated a pure jet passenger aircraft Boeing 707 in the Karachi-London sector. It gained recognition in the world because of its superb performance and excellent customer service. But after years of glories and success, its services declined gradually. And now after COVID19 and two major aircraft crashes in 2016 and 2020 respectively, PIA has lost its repertoire worldwide.
Now, the people aren’t only witnessing declining services but also delays in flights, cancellations, and lack of safety protocols. The primary reason for the fall of the leading airline is its abundance of employees, inefficient services, flight delays, cancellations, and passenger’s confidence in the airline. If it keeps on going at the same pace, then indeed our aviation industry can face the worst crisis in the form of its exit. So, it’s high time the authorities should take notice and work on its betterment.
4. AirSial
AirSial is the third private airline in Pakistan which was launched in 2017 but commenced in operations by the end of 2020. It’s headquartered in Sialkot and was launched to improve air travel to and from the Sialkot region. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the airline aims to improve air travel within Pakistan. It also plans to expand its international operations later.
It’s too soon to review this airline but with its launch, it seems promising. It might take time to strengthen its feet among the other Pakistani airlines but considering the lack of good airlines, we should give it a chance and wait till it gets old in the aviation sector.
Can We Hope for the Bright Future of the Aviation Sector in Pakistan?
This is it! The above four top airlines in Pakistan are operating with their loopholes leaving room for new entrants. The post COVID world is full of explorers but with the current conditions of the aviation sector, it’s hard for people to put their trust in Pakistani airlines.
Now, it’s all on the authorities to either keep on neglecting this revenue-generating sector or to keep going with what we are left with.
What are your thoughts on this?
I prefer books and diaries more than phones and Facebook. Soulfully connected to Pakistan. And I passionately believe that I can change the world through blogging.
