Pakistan grants licence to 2 airline companies

Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has granted licence to two airline companies to operate passenger flights, local media reported. According to reports Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the national flag carrier of Pakistan has expressed reservations over the approval of licence as the decision would further deepen their financial crisis. Indus Airlines is a new carrier that is one of the two companies granted approval by the Civil Aviation Authority. Teh PIA has demanded that Indus Airlines’ licence be cancelled. In a letter to the CAA, the PIA has requested the regulator to cancel Indus Airlines’ licence, granted a year ago, citing financial and technical problems for the national carrier. At present, the two airlines are operating successfully in the private sector including Air Blue and Shaheen Air. Reports say that the Indus Airlines has already acquired an office at the Karachi Airport, which is not operational yet. The company has hinted that it plans to start its operations by mid-March. Reports say that the company has hired executive officers from the PIA as well as the other airlines, but has not yet decided about the types of aircrafts it will induct in its fleet. A spokesperson for Indus said that the airline is a consortium of various companies, has acquired offices and is hiring its staff in different departments. The airline will host an inauguration ceremony soon where further details will be provided to the media, the spokesperson added.