Passengers from small cities: DG CAA vows improved travelling facilities

KARACHI: In a significant move to enhance air travel connectivity across Pakistan, the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Nadir Shafi Dar, has announced that passengers from small cities such as Sukkur, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Peshawar, Gwadar, and others will soon benefit from improved air travel facilities.

Talking to the Business Recorder at his office, Dar apprised that this development came as an airline operating within the country sought permission to deploy small aircraft on these routes and has already shared its operational plan with the CAA.

The airline plans to commence operations by January 2025, with flights expected to start from these cities by the second quarter of the year 2025. This initiative aims to enhance connectivity between primary and secondary airports nationwide. The airline will introduce small aircraft with a seating capacity of 40 to 50 passengers and will initially operate with at least three such planes, DG CAA said.

Nadir expressed optimism that the entry of the first airline will pave the way for other airlines to begin operations from these cities by next year. He highlighted that approximately 30 million passengers travel from north to south region annually using buses, trains, and cars.

Dar believed that if the airline offered competitive fares, these routes could become commercially viable and attract a significant number of passengers. In addition to the new routes, Dar informed that CAA has commenced an audit of all aircraft of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft.

Replying to a question, he said that this decision was made after witnessing frequent technical landings and other operational issues. Furthermore, he said that the audit was aimed at ensuring the safety and reliability of PIA’s fleet.

Meanwhile, DG CAA appeared optimistic about the flights’ resumption to Europe, saying that the ban on flights to Europe would hopefully be lifted by November this year, citing substantial improvements in air safety and security measures.

He said that Pakistan has made significant strides in air safety and security, with its effective rating improving from 70 points in 2021 to 84 points in 2024; adding that this improvement placed Pakistan ahead of India in regional safety rankings.

Currently, 700 pilots are working in the country, with 26% being foreign nationals. Dar emphasized that the CAA has undertaken extensive work to enhance air safety and security, which has contributed to the improved ratings.

“These developments mark a promising step towards strengthening Pakistan’s aviation sector and improving connectivity for passengers across the country,” he said and added that the introduction of small aircraft on new routes is expected to provide a boost to regional travel and support the economic growth of small cities.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024