The Federal Finance Minister, Shaukat Aziz has officially launched Air Blue, a private sector airline that its sponsors claim would be a "paperless" and world-class airline. It would be run on the concepts of e-ticketing, e-reservation and e-check-in systems.
In his brief address at the occasion, Shaukat Aziz said the financial policies of the present government had spurred the growth rate to six percent per annum and the efforts were to increase it further.
This development, the Minister added had resulted from the Federal government's active support to the development of the private sector that provided more jobs to the youth.
Speaking earlier, the Chief Executive of the new Airline, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi outlined the distinctive features of his carrier saying that it was fully manned by Pakistani cock-pit and cabin crews and supported by Pakistani trained engineering staff.
Abbasi, who during the tenure of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was head of the national carrier the Pakistan International Airlines, expected his aircraft to be airborne within two weeks.
The aircrafts that were being pressed into service, he disclosed will have facility of wireless internet service and have electronic reservation, ticketing and check-in facilities. It will not be a low-fare carrier but will be flexible in this context.
Though he forgot to mention the type and number of aircraft with which the Air Blue will commence operations, he said the equipment will be of the new generation manned by 26 pilots, 36 engineers and 50 cabin crew, all trained in Pakistan.
The airline, he said was not an individual property but was a limited company.
The Air Blue, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said is expected to contribute two billion rupees to the GDP and provide nearly 400 jobs.
Abbasi also disclosed that Shaukat Aziz had been associated with the planning and execution of the plans for Air Blue from the day-one and had encouraged him and his associates.
Welcoming the disclosures on the main features of the Airline, Shaukat Aziz said that government, especially the Ministry of Defence, that was responsible for the civil aviation would help investors in the private airlines.
He expected the new airlines to promote domestic tourism that had a very large potential and needed attention from all sectors.
Shaukat Aziz commended the enthusiasm and the skill of the sponsors of the Air Blue who had brought their project to reality within 38 weeks and their aircraft were ready to roll on the domestic tarmacs within a couple of weeks.
A large number of local travel agents, businessmen and persons associated with the Stock Exchanges and Chambers of Commerce and Industry attended the simple but impressive ceremony.