Serene Air all set to launch UAE, Saudi operations next month

Pakistan’s Serene Air looks set to start its international operations by the middle of next month as the travel restrictions are being eased across the globe after rapid rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

The Islamabad-based airline, which began domestic flights in January 2017, will forays into the UAE and Saudi markets by launching maiden flights to Dubai, Sharjah, Jeddah and Riyadh in February.

“We may start Saudi flights by mid-February while Dubai and Sharjah are expected to be next international destinations of the airline,” Sohail Sheikh, country manager of Serene Air in the UAE, told Khaleej Times on Saturday.

Serene Air, which recently inducted a A330-200 widebody aircraft to its existing fleet of four Boeing 737-800 planes, is Pakistan’s third-largest carrier after public-listed Pakistan International Airlines and privately-owned airblue. It operates 84 weekly flights on domestic routes.

Sheikh said all spade work for expanding the airline’s wings over China and the UK has already been completed, however regular flights schedule will be announced in due course of time.

“Serene Air’s signature would soon appear on the international radar as the travel restrictions being eased due to rapid progess on the Covid-19 vaccination development and swift implementation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Serene Air presented a certificate of appreciaton to Pakistan’s Consul General in Dubai and Northern Emirates Ahmed Amjad Ali for his support in repatriation of stranded Pakistanis during the lockdown period last year.

Serene Air operated 53 chartered special flights from the UAE to repatriate approximately 6,000 stranded Pakistanis to Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi.

“We have acknowledged utmost support rendered by the Consul General during the crisis period. He extended full cooperation to the airline to expedite repatriation process to ease problems of stranded Pakistanis,” said Sheikh who also presented an airline’s memento to the Consul General.

To a question, he said the airline has already secured all necessary approvals to start the UAE operations.

“We are ready to launch regular commercial services to the UAE and will announce a flight schedule in due course of time,” Sheikh said.

— muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com