South Air, a new domestic airline, is set to commence its commercial flight operations from next month with two 70-seater ATR aircraft, said Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Ijaz Mahmood Malik, Deputy CEO of South Air.
Speaking exclusively to ProPakistani on the sidelines of the Pakistan Travel Mart MoU signing ceremony held in Marriott Hotel on Wednesday, Malik said that the airline has already obtained its license and commercial approvals for domestic operations from the aviation regulator.
He stated that South Air will initially operate flights from Karachi to connect cities in Sindh and Balochistan, including Sukkur and Quetta, as well as from Islamabad to Multan and various northern cities.
“Our airline has a different operational model compared to other national private carriers. We aim to connect major metropolitan centers with smaller cities to provide reliable air travel services. Initially, two weekly flights will be operated on selected routes, which may increase on different destinations over time in line with demand,” he said.
Malik further shared that once operations begin, the airline plans to induct three additional ATR aircraft by mid-year to cater to growing local demand across multiple destinations and routes.
“South Air will not only be beneficial for foreign and domestic tourists but will also facilitate local and international business travelers, as our goal is to make air travel accessible, efficient, and affordable for underserved communities across the country,” he added.
In addition to passenger services, the airline will also offer charter and cargo operations.
Earlier, Syed Muhammad Ali Hamdani, CEO of Pakistan Travel Mart, said that tourism in Pakistan is on the rise; however, stronger partnerships between the government and the private sector are needed to attract more international tourists.
“With joint efforts, synergy, and collaboration among the hospitality sector, logistics providers, and tour operators, the tourism sector can be further strengthened and its contribution to the national economy enhanced,” he said.
Ken Marshall, Chief Operating Officer of FRG, said that Pakistan has immense potential to attract tourists due to its rich natural and historical sites, provided that supporting infrastructure is developed and modern facilities are made available in tourists areas.
He added that investment in the tourism sector would help attract visitors from around the world, increase foreign exchange inflows, and build a positive soft image of the country globally.
adding flight from Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi to Chitral would help tap into phenomenal oppornuties inherent within Chitral’s route which if connected to next door Dushanbe (Tajikistan) would not only attract tourists to Chitral but the make the flight commercially viable.
Has South air actually made a first flight, or are they just ‘ threatening ‘ to!