Pakistan International Airlines refis Roosevelt Hotel with $105M loan
Government-owned company has long sought to sell the property

https://therealdeal.com/2018/04/19/pakistan-international-airlines-...

The Pakistan International Airlines has leased or owned the Roosevelt Hotel since 1979 and has several times since sought to get rid of it. And sans sale, the overseas owners refinanced the debt on the property, records filed with the city Thursday show, with a $105 million loan from JPMorgan Chase.

JPMorgan Chase’s refinancing replaced $140 million in previous debt on the hotel issued by Wilmington Trust, a subsidiary of M&T Bank.

PIA did not immediately respond to requests for comment and JPMorgan Chase declined to comment.

Built in 1924, the 600,000-square-foot hotel, located at 45 East 45th Street in the recently rezoned swath of Midtown East, is not landmarked and is a prime target for demolition and office tower construction, making the site worth hundreds of millions of dollars. So what’s held up a sale? Politics in Islamabad.

In December, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi rejected a selloff plan for the Roosevelt, according to the Express Tribune, an English-language paper in the country. PIA, a government controlled company, had come up with the plan as part of a larger strategy for paying off roughly $5.3 billion in debt.

“Apart from being a valuable property, the hotel also carries cultural significance for Pakistan,” Abbasi said in rejecting the PIA plan.

PIA last put the hotel on the market in 2007, asking $1 billion. In August, The Real Deal reported that an investment group led by hotelier Shahal Khan was interested in acquiring the hotel. Khan is also making a bid for the Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue.

New #IslamabadAirport opens, to handle up to 25m flyers a year. #Pakistan #Islamabad #airports

https://gulfnews.com/news/asia/pakistan/first-pictures-new-islamaba...

The new airport is capable of serving nine million passengers and 50,000 metric tonnes of cargo annually; expansion plans target servicing about 25 million passengers by 2025.

“The current annual turnover of passengers at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport is about 4.5 million.
The number of passengers is growing by 14 per cent annually as compared to national air passenger growth rate of less than four per cent,” Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Deputy Director General Amir Mehboob was quoted by the Tribute as saying.


The airport comes with a bill of more than Rs100 billion ($861.5m; or Dh3.15 billion), and is connected to both Rawalpindi and Islamabad.


First pictures: New Islamabad airport opens, to handle up to 25m flyers a year
Rs100 billion airport connects both Rawalpindi and Islamabad; boosts capacity to 25 million passengers a year


25m passengers
The new airport is capable of serving nine million passengers and 50,000 metric tonnes of cargo annually; expansion plans target servicing about 25 million passengers by 2025.


“The current annual turnover of passengers at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport is about 4.5 million.
The number of passengers is growing by 14 per cent annually as compared to national air passenger growth rate of less than four per cent,” Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Deputy Director General Amir Mehboob was quoted by the Tribute as saying.

The airport comes with a bill of more than Rs100 billion ($861.5m; or Dh3.15 billion), and is connected to both Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The airport’s 4 levels
Level 1 - international and domestic passengers’ arrival area, baggage collection and airline offices.
Level 2 - domestic arrivals and departure lounges, visitors’ gallery and immigration counters.
Level 3 - international and domestic check-ins and international departure.
Level 4 - state lounges and commercially important persons lounges

The airport has contemporary design inspired by traditional Islamic geometric patterns. Environmentally-sustainable design strategies have been employed with the use of day light and sun shading to reduce energy use.
The interior texture of granite flooring has been used to ensure dust-free air quality.

The new airport is expected to be boon for both airlines and passengers and help lessen the bottlenecks in commercial aviation in the Pakistani capital.
Around 1,200 Airport Security Force deployed at 85 security towers to ensure safety at the airport with advanced security management systems and two bomb pit facilities.

Tourism
With the launch of new airport, Pakistan is all set to welcome foreign tourists who primarily come to visit the scenic northern areas or to participate in religious festivals.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) has announced to establish a modern Tourist Information Centre at the new airport, said PTDC managing director Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor Khan.
Pakistan is not only rich in Islamic heritage but also a gateway to sacred sites for other religions especially Buddhists and Sikhs. 

Many holy sites for Sikhs such as the birthplace of the founder of Sikh religion in Nankana Saheb district, and Gurdwara (monastery) Punja sahib are in Pakistan.
Similarly, the monastery Takht-i-Bhai (Throne of Origins) and the 3,000-year-old Taxila of the Gandhara Valley Civilisation are revered sites for Buddhists and attract pilgrims from China, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan and Sri Lanka.

New #IslamabadAirport opens, to handle up to 25m flyers a year. #Pakistan #Islamabad #airports

https://gulfnews.com/news/asia/pakistan/first-pictures-new-islamaba...


Facilities
2 runways, each 3.5-km long
90 check-in counters 
28-aircraft parking apron
15 air-conditioned jetties (passenger boarding bridges)
2 jetties for Airbus A380 
15 remote bays
Cargo apron for parking of 3 aircraft
Main and emergency runways
Taxiways
Aircraft maintenance apron
Four-level terminal building
Parking facility for 2,000 vehicles 
9 exit and entry gates
28 escalators
six service lifts
24 elevators
4 inclined travellators (moving walkways)
10 horizontal travellators (moving walkways)
5 luggage conveyor belts
15 bays with separate waiting lounges
Device charging stations
Fingerprint recognition systems
Four-star transit hotel
Convention centre
Duty-free shops
Food court
A mini-cinema
Children’s play area
Cargo terminal
Fuel farm
Air traffic control complex
Fire station rescue facilities
18 water tube-wells
3 water dams 


Operators at new airport
Pakistani Airlines
PIA 
Shaheen Air
Air Blue 
Serene Air

International Airlines
Air Arabia
Air China
China Southern
Emirates
Etihad
Gulf Air
Kuwait Airways
Oman Air
Safi Airways
Saudia
Thai Airways 
Turkish Airlines 
Others

It gleams, it glistens, it positively glows.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/in-glistening-new-airport-pakistan-sees-ticket-to-reviving-the-countrys-prestige/2018/05/04/42f30c88-431c-11e8-b2dc-b0a403e4720a_story.html?utm_term=.f179c461f652

The new Pakistan international airport cost more than double the original budget, and its construction was repeatedly stalled for years amid rumors of financial irregularities. It was built miles away from anything, including the capital Islamabad, with no public transport available. Until last month, it still had inadequate drinking water, and some aviation systems still needed tests, postponing its inauguration yet again. 

None of that seemed to matter this week, when the mammoth, ultramodern, $105 million facility finally opened in rural Punjab province. The first arriving flight from Karachi touched down Tuesday morning, under an arc of spray from twin firetrucks, and the pilot waved the national flag from the cockpit.

On Thursday, families waiting for flights oohed and aahed at the vast marble floors and glass walls and took selfies in a landscaped picnic park. Plane crews shook hands with baggage managers. Arriving passengers grinned at glitches, such as being left mistakenly outside a locked terminal door, that would normally have had them fuming. 

“This is so beautiful and new. It’s like a dream — no pollution, so much space,” marveled Abdul Rahim, 40, a United Nations employee who had just arrived on a flight from Kabul that would previously have landed at the small, aging terminal in Rawalpindi city that served the capital area for decades. 

“It will be good for repairing Pakistan’s image,” he predicted.

The new Islamabad International Airport was built miles away from anything, outside the capital. (Aamir Qureshi/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)

Pakistan, a vast but impoverished country, has long been isolated abroad as a dangerous haven for Islamist insurgents and starved for positive recognition. Its few bragging points included a 170-mile highway and the testing of a nuclear device, popularly known here as the “Islamic bomb” but greeted far less kindly by the world community.

This time, virtually everyone is hoping the impressive new Islamabad International Airport, a four-level complex with a smorgasbord of consumer amenities and high-tech passenger services, will be Pakistan’s ticket to revived global prestige and access, offering an attractive gateway to a scenic, mountainous country that has suffered a steep drop in foreign visitors during the past two decades of conflict. 

The airport is the nation’s largest, able to accommodate 9 million passengers a year and potentially expand to almost triple that capacity, officials said. It is also the first airport in Pakistan that can accommodate the double-decker Airbus A-380, the world’s largest passenger plane. 

“Peace has returned to Pakistan after years of terrorism, and now more tourists are coming. What we needed was an international airport, with high-tech facilities equipped to cater to their needs,” said Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, director of the national tourism development corporation. “Now that we have that, many international airlines will start their services here and we estimate that millions of tourists will begin visiting every year.”

Pakistani security officials stand guard at the new airport, the nation’s largest. (Aamir Qureshi/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)

The ambitious expansion comes as Pakistan International Airlines, the country’s once-thriving national carrier, has become mired in financial difficulties and mismanagement and now possesses only 32 registered aircraft. Its future is uncertain, and various proposals to privatize or sell it have been inconclusive. 

 Officials are banking that the airport, built in a barren rural area about 25 miles from the capital, will spawn a profitable hub of domestic commercial and residential development as well as travel services and hotels, creating thousands of jobs. Signs along the nearby highway offer shares in future condo and mall complexes with names like “Airport Enclave” and “Runway View.” 

Aviation experts agreed the replacement of the old Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Rawalpindi was long overdue. It was so crowded and run-down that frequent travelers sometimes referred to it as “the bus station.” Some observers cautioned against putting too much stock in the new airport as a cure-all for Pakistan’s aviation woes.

The state-of-the-art facility can accommodate 9 million passengers a year. (Aamir Qureshi/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)

“Airlines are facing heavy taxes in Pakistan and the authorities are strangling them,” said Farooq Rahmatullah Khan, a former director of the national Civil Aviation Authority. “Unfortunately, air travel here is seen as a luxury for the rich, when it is a necessity even for commoners,” he said, noting large numbers of Pakistanis work as laborers in the Gulf States and elsewhere abroad. He also said Pakistan needs to build more domestic airports in small cities to better connect and develop the country. 

The history of the new airport spans several political eras and upheavals. It was first envisioned during the 1980s, when the Pakistan People’s Party was in power; Benazir Bhutto served twice as prime minister from the PPP. The facility was not completed until the current era of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, led until last year by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. During the interim period of military dictatorship, Bhutto was assassinated in 2007, and the Rawalpindi airport was renamed for her.

The new airport, however, proved far more difficult to name. The country’s two major historical heroes, founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah and poet Allama Iqbal, already have other airports named for them. Sharif, though extremely popular during several stints as premier, lost luster after being ousted by the Supreme Court in a corruption case.

 After lengthy debate over various possible candidates, all proved too contentious. Finally, officials announced last month the new airport would be named after no one at all.

Pakistani workers move luggage trolleys in the glistening international departures terminal. (Aamir Qureshi/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)

Pakistan PM opens long-delayed new airport in capital Islamabad

https://business.mb.com.ph/2018/05/04/pakistan-pm-opens-long-delaye...

Pakistani Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday inaugurated the long-delayed new airport in the capital, Islamabad, replacing the cramped Benazir Bhutto airport often criticized by travellers.

A Pakistan International Airlines pilot waved a green and white Pakistani flag out of his cockpit window after landing the carrier’s first commercial flight at the New International Islamabad Airport.

With a sleek glass-front entrance, spacious check-in areas and jetway bridges for boarding, the Y-shaped airport promises an end to the congestion that has frustrated air travel in the past.

“This airport rightly reflects what has happened in Pakistan in the last five years,” said Abbasi.

Abbasi’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party had been eager to open the new airport before national polls, likely in July, as it touts big-ticket infrastructure as sign of economic progress in the South Asian nation of 208 million people.

Abbasi’s government is spending billions of dollars on upgrading Pakistan’s transport infrastructure and ending energy blackouts, with freshly paved motorways as well as dams and power plants popping up across the country.

Abbasi, who has a pilot’s license and is a founder of a Pakistani budget airline, said new airports in the cities of Multan, Faisalabad, Quetta and Peshawar were in the final stages.

The new Islamabad airport, which has the capacity to handle 15 million passengers annually and space for further expansion, was first suggested in the 1980s and has been more than a decade in the making.

The delays have become a running joke with many Pakistanis, who mock the frequent announcements that the new airport would open soon and subsequent clarifications of further delays. The airport’s most recent delay was last month.

“Nothing is impossible but this project definitely seemed impossible,” quipped Abbasi, in reference to his government inheriting the project in 2013.

The new airport is about 15 km (nine miles) from the capital. Benazir Bhutto airport was in the nearby city of Rawalpindi and attached to a military base.

International travellers often complained about chaotic scenes at the airport and in 2014 it was voted the worst in the world by the “Guide to Sleeping in Airports” website, prompting widespread criticism of the airport in Pakistani media.

The new airport started full operation on Thursday.

India's airlines have more customers than ever but profits are hard to find

https://money.cnn.com/2018/08/03/investing/india-airlines-in-troubl...


Shares in Jet Airways, one of the country's biggest carriers, plunged 7% in Mumbai on Friday following media reports that the company barely has enough money to make it through the next two months.

The stock has lost more than 60% of its value since the start of this year, even as it spends billions to try and compete in the world's fastest-growing aviation market.

In a statement sent to CNNMoney, Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube slammed the media reports as "incorrect" and "malicious." Dube said the airline was implementing measures to boost revenues and cut costs, and that the company was in talks with its employees.

"Some of these [efficiencies] amongst others include sales and distribution, payroll, maintenance and fleet simplification," he added.

India's Economic Times reported that employees were being asked to take pay cuts of up to 25%.

Related: This Indian airport will fly you to the terminal for $65

More than 68 million passengers flew within India in the first six months of 2018, according to official data, a 22% increase from the same period last year.

The latest available figures from the International Air Transport Association show that India's domestic passenger traffic grew by nearly 17% in the month of May compared to the same month last year. China's grew by almost 12% in the same period, while the United States showed growth of 5.5%.


Millions more Indians are flying
The Indian aviation sector has now enjoyed double-digit percentage growth for 45 straight months.

Jet Airways has responded to that spike by going on a spending spree to boost its fleet.

It plans to add 225 new Boeing (BA) 737 Max jets over the next decade, of which 75 — worth nearly $9 billion at list prices — were purchased less than three weeks ago.

But with several airlines competing to offer Indians cheaper ways to travel, the constant pressure on fares has made it difficult to make money. A surge in oil prices, combined with a plunge in India's currency — the rupee — is squeezing finances across the industry.

"On one side your costs are going up significantly, on the other side your ability to pass on those costs is limited," said Kapil Kaul, India CEO for the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation.

"The Indian market, despite having growth, has been mostly profitless," Kaul added.


Costs are rising, fares not so much
Dube, the Jet Airways CEO, underscored those challenges on Friday.

"The aviation industry is currently passing through a tough phase given a depreciating rupee and the mismatch between high fuel prices and low fares," he said, adding that the airline has come through similar storms in the past.

Jet Airways isn't the only Indian carrier that's under pressure.

Profit at market leader IndiGo fell 97% in the quarter ended June, compared to the same period last year. CEO Rahul Bhatia also blamed the falling rupee and rising fuel costs.

India is also having to prop up its loss-making national carrier.

Since failing to sell a 76% stake in Air India to private investors earlier this year, the government has been forced to pour hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into the airline to keep it flying.

#India said on Tuesday it was working on a relief package for its #airline industry, which is forecast to lose up to $1.9 billion this financial year due to rising costs and low fares. #Aviation https://www.cnbctv18.com/aviation/india-plans-relief-package-for-ai...

Two of the biggest and oldest carriers, Jet Airways and state-owned Air India, are struggling to stem losses in the world's fastest-growing domestic aviation market, where competition is intense and fuel taxes are high.

Rajiv Nayan Choubey, the top civil aviation bureaucrat, said that help to cut airline costs was on the way along with a planned $120 million capital injection for Air India, according to Reuters affiliate NewsRise.

Choubey, who was speaking on the sidelines of the International Aviation Summit in New Delhi, did not give details of the planned relief package for the industry.

As well as high fuel taxes, Indian airlines are hit by a goods and services tax on maintenance operations that makes domestic work uncompetitive, consulting firm CAPA India said in a report on Monday.

It forecast an industry loss of up to $1.9 billion in the financial year ending March 31, up from a January estimate of a loss of $430 million to $460 million, the difference fuelled largely by a weakening rupee and a rise in oil prices.

CAPA estimated that India's airlines, including Air India, need an additional $3 billion of capital in the near term to shore up their balance sheets.

Choubey said the government would offer Air India state-guaranteed borrowing worth 21 billion rupees ($294 million), along with an equity infusion of 8.6 billion rupees.

"If we do not support Air India, there may be a value erosion," NewsRise quoted Choubey as saying.

In June, the government said it had been unable to attract bidders for a 76 percent stake in the airline.

Cheap Market

Indian airlines, which have ordered hundreds of new Airbus SE and Boeing Co jets, have struggled to stay profitable despite filling nearly 90 percent of seats as domestic passenger numbers have more than doubled over the past four years.

Cut-throat competition has made India one of the world's cheapest domestic airline markets and deals such as $50 one-way tickets on the two-hour flight from Mumbai to Delhi are easy to find.

"While it is easy to find Indian passengers who want to fly, it's very difficult for airlines to make money," said Alexandre de Juniac, director general of the International Air Transport Association.

Jet Airways last month reported a quarterly loss of 13.23 billion rupees, saying it aimed to cut costs, inject capital and monetise its frequent flyer programme.

In July, budget carrier IndiGo, the country's largest airline, reported its lowest quarterly profit in three years, with earnings down 97 percent.

Infrastructure

The airlines' woes notwithstanding, India has big plans to improve air connectivity as its economy continues to enjoy fast growth, lifting annual air trips to 1 billion in the next 15-20 years, around five times current levels.

The government also wants to build 100 new airports over the next 10-15 years at a cost of about $60 billion, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu told the conference on Tuesday. India currently has around 130 airports.

Issues such as land acquisition, however, often delay construction and expansion of airports - and other projects - in India.

The domestic airport in Mumbai, for example, is struggling to keep pace with surging footfalls, and a second airport has yet to be completed despite years in the planning.

#BritishAirways to resume flights to #Pakistan after "great improvements" in #security - BBC News

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-airline-britishairways/...

British Airways will resume flights to Pakistan next year after a 10-year absence that followed a major hotel bombing, becoming the first Western airline to restart flights to the South Asian nation.

BA halted flights following one of the most high-profile attacks in Pakistan’s history, the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing in the capital, Islamabad, which took place during a period of devastating Islamist militant violence that swept the country.

But security has since improved, with militant attacks sharply down in the mainly Muslim country of 208 million people. In Islamabad, a web of road checkpoints dotted across the city for more than a decade has mostly been dismantled.

Richard Crowder, the Deputy British High Commissioner to Pakistan, told reporters in Islamabad BA’s return was in large part due to “an improvement in the security environment in this country”.

Pakistani officials hailed BA’s move, saying it will offer confidence to other foreign investors and make the country less isolated.

“Once it gets around the world that British Airways has put its stamp of approval on Pakistan, it will put us one or two notches up as a country to do business with,” said Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood.

BA, which is owned by Spanish-registered IAG, is due to begin the London Heathrow-Islamabad service on June 2, with three weekly flights by the airline’s newest long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

At present, only loss-making national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flies directly from Pakistan to Britain, but its aging fleet of planes is a frequent source of complaints by passengers.

Middle Eastern carriers Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates [EMIRA.UL] have a strong presence in Pakistan and have been eating into PIA’s dwindling market share. Turkish Airlines also lays on a regular service to Pakistan.

Islamabad has been running international advertising campaigns to rejuvenate its tourism sector that was wiped out by Islamist violence that destabilized the country following the 9/11 attacks in the United States in 2001 and the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.

Pakistan was formed at partition at the end of British rule in India in 1947 and more than a million people of Pakistani origin live in Britain.

Robert Williams, Head of Sales for Asia Pacific and the Middle East for British Airways, said the carrier believes the route “will be particularly popular with the British Pakistani community who want to visit, or be visited by, their relatives”.

Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, a special assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan, said “British Airways coming back after a decade shows you where we were and how far we have come”.

#Pakistan about to become #tourism's next big thing. In 2015, #Pakistan welcomed 563,000 overseas arrivals. That figure grew to 965,000 in 2016, 1.6m in 2017 and 1.9m last year. #security #economy https://tribune.com.pk/story/1946713/1-pakistan-become-tourisms-nex...

The image of Pakistan as an unsafe country for tourists is gradually changing and now many countries around the world see the potential for tourism in Pakistan, Telegraph reported on Monday.

According to the publication, Pakistan was once one of the highlights of the classic ‘hippie trail’ or ‘overland’ route from Europe to the Far East, a rite of passage for disillusioned Western youth. Peshawar and Lahore were considered not only safe – but also fine places to kick back for a few days in a budget hostel.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is committed to kickstarting tourism to help raise money for a welfare state. His policy has so far extended to tweeting pictures of the country’s beaches and snow-capped mountains, hosting a two-day tourism summit last week, and, most significantly, cutting the red tape and entry requirements that have the potential to put off visitors.

As of this month, residents of five countries – the UK, China, Turkey, Malaysia and the UAE – can take advantage of a new online e-visa system, while most restrictions on movement within the country have been abolished.

Jane Westwood of Wild Frontiers, one of the few UK operators to offer tours of Pakistan, welcomed the changes. “The old visa system was very convoluted,” she said. “Both travellers and tour operators needed to file numerous supporting documents and the whole process took two weeks or more – now it can be wrapped up in a matter of hours. It is also significantly cheaper, from £134 down to the equivalent of $60 [£46].”

She also praised the loosening of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) system, under which travellers needed special permission to visit certain parts of Pakistan. These have been scrapped for all but a few border regions, opening up parts of Kashmir, Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan.

“It’s a beautiful country, and one of the most welcoming,” said Westwood, who has visited twice. “The mountain scenery is staggering, and it’s perfect for trekking, but there are fascinating cities too. Islamabad is leafy and green, with wide boulevards; Lahore has a remarkable Old City, gardens, museums and forts – a real combination of old and new. Then there’s the Kalasha Valleys, which have a unique pagan culture, with traditional lifestyles, dress and festivals.”

How one of #India's biggest airlines imploded. "In many respects, Jet's situation reflects the challenges of the Indian #aviation market altogether" #JetAirwaysShutdown @CNN https://cnn.it/2GmIwct

Almost 26 years to the day after its first flight, one of India's biggest airlines has thrown in the towel.

Jet Airways announced late Wednesday that it was indefinitely suspending all flights after it ran out of cash, marking a swift downfall for an airline that dominated India's fast-growing aviation industry for years.
The airline was founded by Naresh Goyal, who began his career as a sales agent for Lebanese Airlines in 1967. Goyal worked for several other airlines for nearly a decade before founding his own company called Jetair in 1974 to provide sales and marketing services to foreign carriers in India.
When India liberalized its economy in 1991 and opened up its aviation sector to private players, Goyal seized his chance and Jet Airways began operating in May 1993. Over the next two decades, he grew it into one of India's top airlines, adding overseas destinations like Singapore, London and Amsterdam.
"Naresh Goyal founded the company with big ambitions and good ideals in terms of developing that airline, and it established itself with a great reputation for service quality at its peak," said John Strickland, director at aviation consultancy JLS Consulting.

But as millions more Indians started taking to the skies, newer players like SpiceJet and IndiGo burst onto the scene in the early 2000s. The no-frills model of the newer airlines allowed them to cut costs and drive down ticket prices, providing India's price-conscious first-time flyers with far cheaper alternatives than Jet Airways could offer with its premium service.
In the years that followed, the challenges grew. India's airports became increasingly congested, foreign carriers offered stiff competition on international routes, and government taxes on fuel added to costs.
"In many respects, Jet's situation reflects the challenges of the Indian aviation market altogether," Strickland said.
Despite posting mounting losses and racking up debt reportedly worth $1.2 billion, Jet Airways clung on. Abu Dhabi's national carrier, Etihad Airways, bought a 24% stake in 2013, and Jet ordered hundreds of new planes to try to keep pace with growing demand.
As recently as last year, it still accounted for nearly 20% passengers flown by Indian airlines.
But an increasingly volatile economy — India's currency plunged to record lows in 2018, driving the rising cost of oil even higher — proved too big a hurdle, and Jet began to miss payments to staff and creditors.

Things went from bad to worse this year, when the airline was forced to start grounding its planes because of an inability to pay aircraft leasing companies.
"Once aircraft get grounded, and you start to go into that spiral, that's really hard to get out of," said Rob Watts, CEO of aviation consulting firm Aerotask. "You have a proportion of your fleet that's not generating revenue but is still costing you money, so the more aircraft you lose, your revenue falls but your cost doesn't fall in the same manner," he added.

Some questions about public policymaking in Pakistan
By Shahid Javed Burki

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1998843/6-questions-public-policymakin...

Serious public policy work was put on track by president Ayub Khan soon after he took over the country in October 1958. He developed the Planning Commission into a well-endowed policymaking institution. Told that Pakistan did not have the skills that were needed to staff such an institution, he turned to the United States for help. That came in the form of advisers mostly from the Harvard Development Service who were appointed in the Planning Commission in Karachi and in the Planning and Development Departments in East and West Pakistan.

When Ayub Khan surrendered his office in 1969, the Planning Commission began to wither. A series of blows were delivered to the planning process by the government headed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who ably led Pakistan to recover from the loss of East Pakistan in December 1971 but destroyed much of what Ayub Khan had done for the country. Bhutto, an arrogant man, had much greater confidence in his ability to develop the country on his own and bring about social change than base his moves on institutional advice. He had no use for the Planning Commission.

-----------------

What follows is a brief discussions relating to some of the questions asked above. Taking all of them in detail would take up a more than one newspaper article.

One, our leaders must recognise that a negative narrative prevails about Pakistan in the foreign press. Whenever a story appears about Pakistan in the western media, its content and tone are negative. This situation can only be remedied if the current leadership comes forward and presents to the world a believable plan of action that would restore people’s confidence in their future as well the future of their country. As economists emphasise all the time, confidence is an important driver of growth, confidence leads to increase in domestic and as well as foreign investment.

Two, there is an urgent need to strength the Federal Board of Revenue. Those who don’t pay taxes or pay only nominal amounts must be made to fear the revenue collector. It is that fear that has made the Internal Revenue Service the most feared part of the United States government. In America, April 15, the day taxes are due, is by far the most important day on the calendar.

Third, we need to focus on three sectors as the future determinants of economic growth and social change: they are high value-added agriculture, small- and medium-scale industries and modern services. Development of the human resource would be an important part of this strategy. CPEC could play an important part in this endeavour.

Fourth, our policymakers need to recognise that Pakistan is no longer a rural place but an urban country. No single urban policy would serve the purpose. We will need separate policies for the metropolitan areas, peripheral areas of large cites, medium-sized cities and small towns.

Fifth, the government must get closer to the people and this requires the formation of a multi-tiered system of local government on the lines of Ayub Khan’s system of ‘basic democracies’.

And sixth, working with Afghanistan, we should use the local system of government to bring economic and social development to these areas. It is only then that we will be able to prevent the tribal youth from being attracted to extremist causes.

#Pakistan's private airline start-up AirSial to lease trio of A320s from AerCap to fly #Karachi, #Lahore and #Islamabad routes. https://www.flightglobal.com/fleets/pakistani-start-up-airsial-to-l...

AerCap has disclosed an agreement to provide Pakistani start-up carrier AirSial with three used Airbus A320s.

The A320s will become AirSial’s first aircraft upon delivery in the second quarter of 2020.

AerCap is described by its chief executive Aengus Kelly as “the biggest aircraft lessor in the fast-growing Pakistani aviation sector”.

Cirium fleets data shows that AerCap manages two Boeing 777-200s operated by flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines and leased several aircraft to Shaheen Air International before it ceased operations in February. The Irish lessor has also supplied aircraft to Airblue.

Kelly states: “With the rapid growth in air traffic in Pakistan as well as air liberalisation, AirSial is well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity.”

The airline’s chairman Fazal Jilani has thanked AerCap for “not only recognising the potential of the Pakistan aviation market but also showing their firm belief in the Sialkot business community”, referencing the city in which AirSial is based.

“We at AirSial, along with AerCap, will take our new partnership to the highest of standards and together make AirSial ‘The Pride of Pakistan’,” Jilani vows.

AirSial has been founded by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, the start-up’s LinkedIn profile indicates.

It also declares the airline’s intent to “to fly high by offering an exceptional blend of flying experience – rooted firmly in best safety and operational practices, with an attitude enthused with the pride of our culture, warm hospitality and service standards par excellence”.

#BritishAirways compete with #Virgin Atlantic for flights/passengers to/from #Pakistan. BA plans to add a 2nd route to Pakistan, 4 times a week from #London Heathrow to #Lahore as Virgin Atlantic starts service #Manchester-#Lahore. #tourism #economy #PTI https://ukaviation.news/ba-to-take-on-virgin-in-pakistan/

British Airways (BA/BAW) has announced that it plans to added a second route to Pakistan, from London Heathrow to Lahore.

The move comes just days after Virgin Atlantic announced that it was launching services to Islamabad and Lahore from London and Manchester.

The British Airways flight will operate 4 times-per-week using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

BA director of network and alliances, Neil Chernoff, said: ““Our new flights will give us the opportunity to open up more of Pakistan to travelers from the UK, so they can experience its delights and rich culture,”

Adding: “We also think this will be hugely popular with the British Pakistani community, giving them more convenient options to visit family and friends.”

The first flight will operate on 12th October, a month before Virgin’s operations begin.

UK aviation firm acquires stakes in Pakistan

https://www.dawn.com/news/1594125


A UK-based global aviation services specialist Menzies Aviation on Friday announced the acquisition of a 51 per cent shareholding in Royal Airport Services (RAS).

An aviation services business based in Pakistan, RAS has been operating in the country since 2007 and has a strong position in local markets, a press release said. It has been providing a range of aviation services including ground and cargo handling, airline ticketing and cargo sales across Pakistan. RAS handles both domestic and international carriers across eight airports, with revenue in excess of $20 million in 2019, the press release added.

The deal offers Menzies Aviation the opportunity to enter the growing Pakistan aviation services market as the acquisition creates a strong platform for the company. It [acquisition] represents clear delivery against the company’s strategic objectives of increasing depth of service capability and expanding its geographical footprint, the statement added.

“We are delighted to be partnered with Royal Airport Services. The acquisition is in line with our global strategy to offer our service portfolio to new markets and we believe that a presence in Pakistan will provide a strong platform for further regional growth opportunities,” Menzies Aviation’s Executive Chairman Philipp Joeinig said.

#Pakistan’s Air Sial to launch. It's Pak's 3rd private airline after Airblue & Serene Air. It's a brainchild of members of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry which owns #Sialkot International Airport – Pak's first privately-owned public airport https://gn24.ae/ae6cca80e286000

Pakistan’s industrial city of Sialkot, famous for producing the world’s finest quality football and sports goods, will soon have a new reputation – AirSial, its own private airline. Pakistan’s third private airline, AirSial, launched by Sialkot’s business community, is all set to launch operations this month. Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to formally launch the new airline on December 9 in Sialkot.

Pakistani startup airline AirSial this week received its second aircraft, Airbus A320, at Sialkot Airport. The airline’s initial operations will rely on three Airbus A320-200s, which the airline has leased from AerCap, Dublin-based aircraft leasing giant. It will initially begin operations with regular flights between Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Sialkot and Peshawar. The airline hopes to embark on the international journey in two years with the Middle East as the first region and UAE the most preferred choice for airline’s first overseas service, aviation experts say.

AirSial that aims to “become the leading airline of the region” is the brainchild of members of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry after the successful launch of Sialkot International Airport – the first privately-owned public airport. The airport project, completed in 2007 at a cost of approximately Rs4 billion, was funded by 360 members of the business community. Sialkot city industrialists set a unique precedent to set up an airport to boost trade and business activities and support the city’s exporters and the business community.

Ameen Ahsan, CEO of AirSial, envisages the airline to become an “important multiplier of economic activity” in Pakistan’s national economy. The airline that will give a boost to the aviation sector supports PM Imran Khan’s vision to create jobs, strengthen the economy and contribute to foreign exchange, he said.

#Pakistan To Have 3 New Domestic Airlines: Q-Airlines, Fly Jinnah and Jet Green, in addition to AirBlue, AirSial and SereneAir. New additions will be a huge boost to Pakistan’s domestic #aviation market with cheaper fares and more seats, https://simpleflying.com/pakistan-new-domestic-airlines/ via @simple_flying

Pakistan’s domestic market is set to receive a significant boost as the country prepares to launch three new airlines. 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.

Initially limited to domestic operations
As reported earlier by Gulf Today, three airline startups are currently swapping paperwork with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). Should they be granted permission to commence scheduled commercial operations, this would double the country’s number of private airlines.

This would be a huge boost to Pakistan’s domestic market. According to ARY News, two of the three airlines have already completed the PCAA’s administrative processes. The names of these startups are Q-Airlines and Fly Jinnah.

Having completed these processes, these two proposed airlines will have their documents forwarded to the government’s Aviation Division. If the federal cabinet grants them approval, they will then be issued with licenses to commence operations. The PCAA requires new airlines to spend their first year operating solely domestic flights with a fleet of three aircraft.


The third new carrier is known as Jet Green Airlines. This startup is a little further behind in the bureaucratic process, and remains under scrutiny from the PCAA. It will hope that its documents will be forwarded to the Aviation Division with minimal further delay, to avoid being left behind by its competitors, which may take to the skies first. After the provisional year-long domestic period, the airlines may be granted permission to operate internationally.

Pakistan already has a further three private airlines up and running. These are as follows.

airblue – Founded in 2003 and commenced operations in June 2004. Operates a 10-aircraft fleet of Airbus A320 family planes. As well as its core network within Pakistan, airblue also has focus cities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
SereneAir – Founded in May 2016 and commenced operations in January 2017. Its small fleet (1x Airbus A330, 4x Boeing 737) serves an eight-destination domestic network.
AirSial – Despite being founded in October 2017, AirSial only commenced operations in December. As such, it is still in its year-long probationary period. It currently operates a fleet of just three A320 aircraft between five domestic destinations.

Pakistan - Air transport, passengers carried

https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/pakistan/indicator/IS.AIR.PSGR#:~:....

The value for Air transport, passengers carried in Pakistan was 6,880,637 as of 2018. As the graph below shows, over the past 48 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 9,628,354 in 2016 and a minimum value of 625,200 in 1972.

Definition: Air passengers carried include both domestic and international aircraft passengers of air carriers registered in the country.

Source: International Civil Aviation Organization, Civil Aviation Statistics of the World and ICAO staff estimates.

#Pakistan's Alvir Airways gets operating license, eyes ERJ (#Brazil-made Embraer regional jets).
It plans to operate from 3 hubs (#Karachi, #Lahore, & #Islamabad) to 3 destinations (#Gwadar, #Skardu, & #Turbat) - to promote #tourism & regional air access. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/105836-pakistans-alvir-airw...

Pakistani startup Alvir Airways (Karachi Int'l) has been granted a Tourism Promotion and Regional Integration (TPRI) operating license by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), according to a statement issued by the regulator.

Under the National Aviation Policy of 2019, the license is valid for five years until June 2026, read the statement issued by PCAA spokesman Saad Bin Ayub.

According to the PCAA, Alvir Airways intends to acquire two unspecified Embraer jets for the startup of operations and will add more of the type in time.

The airline plans to operate from three hubs in Pakistan, namely Karachi Int'l, Lahore Int'l, and Islamabad Quaid-e-Azam Int'l to three destinations - Gwadar, Skardu, and Turbat - to promote tourism and regional air access. Alvir Airways will be pitched against PIA - Pakistan International Airlines (PK, Islamabad Quaid-e-Azam Int'l) which currently holds 100% of the market share in terms of weekly seat capacity at Gwadar, Skardu, and Turbat, according to the ch-aviation capacities module. PIA serves Skardu twice weekly from Faisalabad, daily from Islamabad, 3x weekly from each of Karachi and Lahore, and weekly from Sialkot, the ch-aviation schedules module reveals. PIA also serves Gwadar 4x weekly from Karachi; and Turbat weekly from Islamabad and thrice-weekly from Karachi.

The PCAA said Alvir Airways was granted the license in line with a vision by Prime Minister Imran Khan to promote tourism and regional connectivity. It was presented by PCAA Director-General Khaqan Murtaza and other dignitaries to Alvin Airways Chief Executive Officer Tehseen Awan, Managing Director Syeda Huma Batool, and Chief Operating Officer Shahzaib Mahmood at the regulator's head-office in Karachi on July 12, 2021.

Speaking at the event, Awan said that Alvir Airways would start domestic flights in the first phase before purchasing more aircraft. He said the company aimed to provide employment in the aviation sector and become a major player in the Pakistan aviation industry.

The company has begun recruiting staff on its website, which, however at this stage, gives no further insight into its corporate set-up.

Neither the company, nor Awan were immediately available for comment. Awan currently holds the position of managing director of Vetworld, an animal health company, according to his LinkedIn profile.

What is a Regional Aircraft and what are the opportunities?
The regional aircraft market continues to be a key growth sector within commercial aviation, contributing significantly to efficiencies in the airline networks and ensuring safe and seamless mobility, while respecting environmental obligations.


https://www.cleansky.eu/regional-aircraft

Regional carriers typically operate aircraft, such as regional jets and turboprops, with a seating capacity ranging from 20 to 130 seats, on short to medium-haul routes. By the end of 2015 the regional aviation world fleet comprised of about 9000 units (4350 turboprop and 4650 regional jet) representing more than 33% of the worldwide commercial fleet and performing over 40% of total commercial flights (and 25% of total flight hours).

In the recent past the annual worldwide traffic served by regional aviation exceeded 700 billion ASK (Available Seat Kilometres). Only in Europe were regional carriers able to offer more than 120 billion ASKs to passengers, with an average distance of 320 NM (about 600 km) and more than 200 million people flew on regional aircraft within the European network.

Regional aviation demonstrated its strongest traffic growth over the last two decades. In the next 20 years regional air traffic is expected to triple at an average yearly rate of 6% (compared to a 5% rate in total commercial aviation), generating a market demand of about 9000 new regional aircraft (with a market value of about € 360 billion, averaging € 18 billion per year).

The regional market is currently led by non-European players, with the exception of turboprop manufacturer ATR (a 50/50 Joint Venture between Leonardo and Airbus Group). For Europe‘s aeronautical industry there‘s a clear and urgent need to invest in developing new technologies in order to recover global leadership.

The integration of innovative and affordable technologies in future aircraft platforms is a key success factor for manufacturers as it increases the appeal and customer benefits, providing a better inflight experience for passengers. Furthermore, airlines derive significant economic advantages from operating modern aircraft which are more efficient, eco-friendly, easier and cost-efficient to manage and maintain, saving money through the reduction of operating costs.

New and improved technologies positively impact all these elements, contributing to a reduction in operating costs through lower fuel burn, reduced maintenance costs, reduced navigation and airport fees as a result of structural weight savings due to innovative aircraft configurations and the use of lighter materials.

All these benefits and economic advantages will be even more evident for regional turboprop aircraft that are typically less expensive to operate than regional jets. Technological enhancements also appeal to passengers who can enjoy a better inflight experience thanks to improved comfort and lower cabin noise levels, and this means less noise in and around airports too.

Clearly, investment in developing new technologies represents a fundamental differentiator for European aeronautic manufacturers in order to maintain or even to increase their competitive advantage against non-European players. Over the coming years, Europe‘s technological leadership will gain an increasingly relevant role and will contribute to a substantial market-share increase in the regional aircraft segment with consequent job creation.

In a future characterised by extensive use of innovative technologies, regional aviation‘s potential market will increase to more than 10,000 units over the 2025-2050 timeframe, and the market-share of a new European regional turboprop program will rise to 30-40% - doubling what it is today.

#Pakistan's Lakson Group, Air Arabia to start a new low-cost #airline. Fly Jinnah will operate as a joint venture using low-cost model of Air Arabia. It'll promote travel & #tourism sector and contribute to the country’s #economic growth and #job creation. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/pakistans-lakson-group-ai...

Pakistan's Lakson Group and Middle Eastern budget carrier Air Arabia (AIRA.DU) said on Friday they would launch a low-cost airline serving domestic and international routes from Pakistan.

The new carrier, Fly Jinnah, will operate as a joint venture between the pair, they said in a statement, adopting the low-cost model operated by Air Arabia.

The statement said the new airline would help Pakistan’s travel and tourism sector and contribute to the country’s economic growth and job creation.

Air Arabia operates from Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, and has similar joint ventures in Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Morocco and Armenia. Its shares are listed on the Dubai Financial Market.

The airline has been pushing ahead to expand in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak last year as low-cost carriers bet on a post-pandemic surge in travel.

Bilal I Gilani
@bilalgilani
In one decade PIA has lost 25% of its fleet

2 / 3 rd of available seat and passengers who got on to a PIA

Yet we continue to put tax money to save this

https://twitter.com/bilalgilani/status/1535718850351837187?s=20&...

A new runway at Faisalabad International Airport will be completed by October this year, enabling Boeing 777 aircraft to land, said Airport Manager Muhammad Anwar Zia.


Addressing Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here on Thursday, he added that the air cargo complex was also under construction and 75% of the work was expected to be completed before the runway becomes operational.

Zia expressed satisfaction over the available passenger load and air cargo and said that 102 domestic and international flights were successfully operating from Faisalabad airport.

Zia expressed satisfaction over the available passenger load and air cargo and said that 102 domestic and international flights were successfully operating from Faisalabad airport.

He said the old runway could only accommodate small planes, which prompted authorities to construct a new runway for wide-bodied aircraft, in view of the projected increase of passengers and air cargo from the city and its catchment areas.

---------------

The new runway will be completed by October this year, enabling Boeing 777 to land at Faisalabad International Airport.

This was stated by airport manager Muhammad Anwar Zia at a meeting with FCCI officials on Thursday.

He said the air cargo complex was also under construction and 75 per cent of the work would be completed before the runway becomes operational.

He expressed satisfaction over the available passenger load and air cargo and said the airport was in a deficit of Rs220 million when he was posted here.

“It is now earning a profit of Rs2 billion,” he said and added that presently 102 domestic and international flights are operating from this airport facility in a month. He said that only small planes could land on the old runway, prompting authorities to construct a new runway.

He said a study was conducted to evaluate the passenger load before contacting international airlines. At that time the available passenger load was only 70,000 which jumped to 500,000 and is now expected to cross the mark of 800,000 within the next few years. He said that in a similar pattern, we must calculate the available tonnage of air cargo so that the airlines could be convinced to launch a dedicated air cargo service from this port.

He asked the FCCI to share data on air cargo so that a comprehensive study could be finalised. Four planes can be parked at a time and more facilities will also be arranged after calculating the passengers and air cargo shipments, he said.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1696356/faisalabad-airport-to-get-new-runway

Revving up in low gear: The paradoxes in India's transport sector

https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/revving-up-with-b...

No Indian airline makes money, railways' passenger traffic is stagnant, and roads have a revenue imbalance problem, but investments in all three are like never before, notes T N Ninan

India’s transport sector offers a strange mosaic of stagnant traffic trends, poor or negative returns, and yet unprecedented levels of investment for the future. After years of vast sums being ploughed into all forms of transport, the next two or three years could see the results of that investment in the form of transformational change in the air, on highways and expressways, and in the railways. Here’s hoping.

#IndiGo A320 Plane in #India catches #fire during takeoff from #NewDelhi, 'scary' moment captured on video.The passenger plane – which has since been grounded – was speeding along the runway when orange flames and sparks burst out of the side. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/plane-india-catches-fire-duri... #FoxBusiness

A video posted to social media shows the scary moment an IndiGo aircraft's engine caught fire while attempting to take off from India's Delhi Airport.

The passenger plane – which has since been grounded – was speeding along the runway when orange flames and sparks burst out of the side.

According to AFP, passengers also heard a loud bang.

One of the passengers traveling to Bengaluru, Priyanka Kumar, posted a clip of the incident on Twitter which showed the fire going out within moments.

"Indigo 6E 2131 Scary experience on Delhi runway!" she tweeted. "This was supposed to be a take-off video but this happened."

In replies to the post on Twitter, the airline said it regretted the inconvenience caused to passengers.

"The flight experienced an engine stall during take-off roll. The take-off was aborted and the aircraft safely returned to the bay," IndiGo wrote. "We understand that all passengers are being accommodated on an alternate aircraft."


FOX Business' requests for comment from IndiGo and the Delhi Police were not immediately returned.

According to NDTV, the Deli Police said that all 184 people on the Airbus A-320 aircraft are safe and that the incident took place at around 9:45 p.m. local time.

The passengers reportedly deplaned after 11 p.m. and the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation's preliminary report said that the pilot had used the fire extinguisher in the engine.

AFP reported that a detailed investigation would be carried out and that the alternative flight took off at 12:16 a.m. on Saturday.

#India’s social divisions erupt on #flights, and women bear the brunt. Commentators bemoan “the Indian passengers,” calling them the worst in the world. #urinator #TejasviSurya #AirIndiaincident #IndiGo https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/19/india-air-gender-ho...

It was a case that shocked India and was soon news around the world — India’s vice president for Wells Fargo allegedly peed on an elderly woman during an Air India flight from New York to New Delhi.

The incident took over India’s prime-time television, with one channel broadcasting at least 70 segments on the topic since Jan. 5 — including using graphics to re-create the scene. It dominated the front pages of India’s top Hindi- and English-language papers.

The man was branded the “infamous urinator” by the well-known anchor Barkha Dutt, and commentators bemoaned “the Indian passengers,” calling them the worst in the world. Members of parliament weighed in and prominent political players used the incident to bring up past accusations of rivals.

But the Nov. 26 Air India flight was only the latest eye-grabbing headline about air incidents over the past few months. As flight travel surges past pre-covid levels, the string of cases — often with women bearing the brunt — has touched a nerve in India as age-old gender issues emerge in the confined space of the most modern form of mass travel.

As covid-19 restrictions loosened, air rage and shocking incidents during flights became a staple of headlines worldwide, particularly in the United States. Without official aviation data on passenger misbehavior in India, however, it’s unclear whether there is a rise in cases or if the proliferation of smartphones and social media is causing more scrutiny of a long-standing problem.

Meghna Sahu, who has worked for two of India’s low-cost carriers as a flight attendant over the past three years, is relieved that the issue is finally garnering the attention it deserves. She witnesses an “unruly passenger” every working day, with major fights taking place once every three months or so.

“It has become the norm. Customers think that whatever fit they throw, I am supposed to take it because they are paying,” the 26-year-old based in Hyderabad said. “What they forget is, I am a human being.”

One of the most frustrating misconceptions for Sahu is that passengers think crew like her are primarily meant to serve them, when in fact they are trained with safety as the priority. A passenger once told Sahu: “My servant is faster than you,” leaving her in tears.

“They really test your patience sometimes. You sometimes want to give it back to them, but you realize it’s not worth it,” Sahu said. “You don’t buy me. You buy the seat. You don’t have any right to disrespect me at any point in time.”

A video that circulated in mid-December showed an intense verbal altercation between a male passenger and a female flight attendant on a domestic low-cost flight. The woman’s voice struck a chord with many: “I am not your servant,” she screamed at the passenger.

The stories have piled up: A flight from Paris to New Delhi saw a man peeing on the blanket of a female passenger as well as another person described as drunk and unruly smoking in the lavatory. A physical fight broke out between male passengers on a December flight from Bangkok to India — an air route notorious for disorderly conduct. Just last week news broke that a member of parliament from Bangalore opened the emergency exit of an airplane before takeoff, forcing all the passengers to leave the plane.

In the latest development on the Air India case, the defendant’s legal team is claiming that the woman peed on herself, adding that she’s a dancer and incontinence is a problem in her profession.

“Whatever Indian norms exist, they are playing out on flights. … It’s a microcosm of the kind of social churn we are seeing in our country,” said Shrayana Bhattacharya, who wrote the book “Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh,” which included the experiences of many flight attendants.

Pakistan's international passenger traffic was 11 million and domestic was 6 million in 2021-22:

https://caapakistan.com.pk/upload/AT/stats/2021%20-%202022-APT.pdf



India's was 22 million international and 166 million domestic in 2022.



https://www.statista.com/statistics/588028/passengers-boarded-by-ty...



High domestic air traffic depends on two factors: territorial size (distances) of the country and the quality of its land transportation infrastructure. Both these factors cause Indian domestic air traffic to be higher than Pakistan's

Pakistan plans to privatise its loss-making national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIAa.PSX), the government said on Monday, as the country also seeks to outsource its airport operations in line with an IMF deal.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/pakistan-privati...

The privatisation decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Privatisation chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

The committee "after deliberation decided to include Pakistan International Airlines Co. Ltd in the list of active privatisation projects of the ongoing privatisation programme, following an amendment in the law by the Parliament," a finance ministry statement said.

The committee also backed the hiring of a financial adviser to process the transaction of Roosevelt Hotel, New York, an asset of the PIAInvestment Limited, it added.

Pakistan hopes to resume PIA flights to Britain in the next three months after services were suspended following a fake pilot scandal.

The PIA flights to Europe and the UK have been suspended since 2020 after the European Union's Aviation Safety Agency revoked the national carrier's authorisation to fly to the bloc following the pilot licence scandal.

The privatisation of a state-owned enterprise, the PIA, which has accumulated hundreds of billions of rupee in losses and arrears, comes after Pakistan agreed to fiscal discipline plans with the International Monetary Fund.

Pakistan secured a $3 billion IMF bailout in June.

Reporting by Asif Shahzad in Islamabad and Baranjot Kaur in Bengaluru Editing by David Goodman, Mark Potter and Alistair Bell

Boost to tourism: First international flight lands at Skardu airport
In a touching gesture, the captain of the flight opened a window and proudly hoisted the national flag

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1100304-boost-to-tourism-first-int...


SKARDU: A historic moment unfolded at Skardu International Airport as flight PK 234 touched down, marking it the first-ever international flight to land on Skardu soil.

The arrival was celebrated with a heartwarming water cannon salute, painting the skies with a majestic display of water arcs.

In a touching gesture, the captain of the flight opened a window and proudly hoisted the national flag, symbolising the unity and pride of the nation. Traditional hats and thoughtful gifts were joyously distributed among the passengers aboard the inaugural flight, setting the tone for a remarkable journey.

While the initial tourist count was modest, with only 80 passengers on this milestone flight, officials from the national airline revealed that these travelers had embarked on a journey from Dubai to Skardu, making a connecting stop at Skardu. This strategic connection is expected to pave the way for an influx of tourists, injecting new life into the local tourism industry.

The residents of Skardu are excited at this as a momentous step towards boosting the region’s tourism. With Skardu being renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage, the commencement of international flights is anticipated to open doors to a world of opportunities.

The successful landing of the first international flight on the auspicious occasion of Independence Day has added an extra layer of jubilation to the festivities.