Air Indus Announces Return After 11 Years, Plans Domestic and Gulf Flight Operations

KARACHI: Pakistan’s private airline Air Indus has announced plans to resume flight operations after nearly 11 years, marking its return to the country’s aviation sector with a renewed commitment to providing passengers with high-quality air travel services.

According to information released on the airline’s website, the company will initially restart domestic flights before expanding its operations to Gulf countries in the second phase. Air Indus said preparations for the relaunch have entered the final stages following extensive planning and operational readiness.

The airline plans to operate a fleet comprising modern narrow-body jet aircraft along with ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft to efficiently serve both domestic and regional routes.

Air Indus suspended its flight operations on July 1, 2015. Under its new operational strategy, Karachi will serve as the airline’s primary hub.

In the initial phase, the airline plans to operate three daily flights between Karachi and Islamabad and two daily flights between Karachi and Lahore. It also intends to launch services from Karachi to Peshawar, Sialkot, Quetta, Gwadar, Faisalabad, Multan, and Skardu, as well as flights between Quetta and Islamabad.

The airline said that punctuality, flight safety, and high-quality passenger services will remain its top priorities. Once domestic operations are firmly established, Air Indus plans to begin international flights to Gulf destinations.

The proposed international network includes flights from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Doha, Kuwait City, and Muscat. However, the launch of these international routes will be subject to approval from the relevant civil aviation authorities.

The airline added that its modern narrow-body jets will primarily serve domestic and Middle Eastern routes, while ATR 72-600 aircraft will later be introduced to strengthen air connectivity between smaller cities and Pakistan’s northern regions.