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Airblue starts Istanbul service

DUBAI — Airblue, Pakistan’s fastest growing private airline, expanded its international operations by adding Istanbul as new destination early this year, its top official said.

The Islamabad-based private airline, which began its operations in 2004, has started operating three weekly flights on every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from Islamabad to Istanbul, and then Istanbul to Manchester through Sabiha Gokcen Airport.

“We received the permission from Turkish Civil Aviation authorities and began the flight operations in January this year. The new service is a step towards increased links between Pakistan, Turkey, and Europe,” Sadaf Aslam Jalil, the airline’s country manager for the UAE, told Khaleej Times.

The airline operates an all Airbus A320 family aircraft fleet with an average age of less than three years and provides scheduled air service to 10 domestic and international destinations. It flies to all major cities in Pakistan as well as to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in the UAE, Muscat and Manchester in Britain.

“We will expand our international operations as well as increase frequencies on existing routes in Gulf once the airline gets more aircraft,” Ms Jalil said and adding that the airline is expected to get two to three aircraft on dry lease this year.

The airline, which recently won the ‘Best Pakistani Airline’ award for providing quality services to its passengers, has five aircraft in its fleet. Consumer Association of Pakistan, at its annual award ceremony in Karachi on February 22, gave the award to airblue’s director airport operations Syed Armaan.

“This is great achievement and the airline will continue to provide even better services to its passengers,” she said.

In reply to a question, the airblue country manager said the airline has been experiencing smooth operations from Terminal 1 in Dubai since a successful transition in October last year.

She said the airline, which launched UAE operations in August 2005 from Terminal 2, looks positively at the transaction and takes more international passengers travelling to Pakistan and various Western destinations through Dubai International.

“The transition has a positive impact on the airline operations as its passengers are now in a better position to catch a wide range of connecting international flights from Terminal 1.

“We are extremely grateful for the exceptional support and co-operation received from the local civil aviation authorities to ensure the smooth transition,” she said.

In reply to a question about growing competition with the re-launch of Bhoja Air on domestic routes, she said airblue always welcome new entrants in the market.

“The competition is always good and healthy for the market and benefit the passengers,” she said. “We have already been competing flydubai, air Arabia, RAK Airways and Eritrean Airlines on various Pak routes besides giving tough time to major airlines like Emirates, Etihad and PIA,” she concluded.

— muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com