Syed Marwan Shah

Pakistan’s aviation industry is set to witness a boost after the announcement of three upcoming private airlines, WealthPK reports.

After reviewing their operation models, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) is in the process of providing these airlines with regular public transport (RPT) licences. The domestic airlines, which are expected to begin operations shortly, include Q-Airlines, Fly Jinnah, and Jet Green.

The launch of these new airlines will bring the number of private airlines operating in Pakistan to seven. At present, Air North, SereneAir, Airblue, and AirSial operate in the local private airline industry, mostly handling domestic flights as well as a few international flights. 

Under the new PCAA regulations, private airlines are only eligible for international flights after completing one year of successful domestic operations with a minimum of three aircraft.

Recently, the PCAA awarded an international licence to AirSial, and it will soon start flights to Iran and Gulf countries. This will make AirSial the third private airline in the country to fly internationally.

According to the experts, these new airlines will create jobs, boost local as well as foreign investment, and ultimately benefit not only the aviation industry, but also the entire economy. Pakistan needs numerous joint ventures in airlines to boost the aviation sector, as it has been proven to be successful around the globe.

According to International Air Transport Association (IATA), airlines, airport operators, airport on-site enterprises (restaurants and retail), aircraft manufacturers, and air navigation service providers employ 56,000 people in Pakistan. In addition, by buying goods and services from local suppliers, the sector supports another 121,000 jobs. On top of this, the sector is estimated to support a further 70,000 jobs through wages it pays to its employees, some or all of which are subsequently spent on consumer goods and services. Foreign tourists arriving by air to Pakistan, who spend their money on the local economy, are estimated to support an additional 253,000 jobs. In total, 500,000 jobs are supported by air transport and tourists arriving by air.

In addition, the New Gwadar International Airport will be operational by September 2023, according to sources, which is expected to boost trade between Pakistan and China. It will also stimulate the development of the Gwadar peninsula. This will transform the region from a geo-political centre into one of the leading business hubs in the world.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPak