Cathay Pacific to suspend Pakistan operations from 29th
June 18, 2014
KARACHI: Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific has decided to suspend flights to and from Pakistan from June 29, as the route is no more economically viable for the airline, Sohail Yunus, Cathay’s representative in Pakistan, said on Tuesday.
“It is more of a business decision, as the route is no more economically viable. The Hong Kong-Karachi traffic is quite low and we largely depend on traffic to and from Karachi-Bangkok, which has been largely affected due to political turmoil in Bangkok,” Yunus told The News.
Cathay will operate 14 more flights to and from Karachi before operations cease. This is to avoid disruptions for the hundreds of passengers who will be travelling prior to the holy month of Ramazan.
Moreover, the company has advised customers to check the airline’s website for updates and developments.
Younas said the operations have been suspended for the time being and they are evaluating the costs and feasibility.
Cathay Pacific currently operates four flights a week from Karachi to international destinations.
Abid Kaimkhani, spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said that so far the authority has not received any communication regarding Cathay Pacific’s such plans.
As many as 19 foreign carriers come to Pakistan. Other than the airlines originating from the Gulf countries, the only notable carrier is Cathay Pacific. Sources said that security is not the reason behind foreign airlines leaving Pakistan; instead it was the Persian Gulf aviation cartel.
There is a respectable growth of air traffic from Pakistan, which is estimated at five percent to nine percent per annum. However despite growth in traffic, the number of international airlines has drastically been reduced to Pakistan, the sources said.
Aviation sector experts feel that one of the major reasons behind quitting of operations by the international airlines to Pakistan can be attributed to the harsh bureaucratic attitude in the country.
The difficulties in repatriation of earnings, landing charges, fuel cost in Pakistan, which is stated to be the highest in the region, are some of the factors creating problems for the international airlines.
Consequently, the airlines have no other option but to shift their operations from Karachi to Dubai, which is comparatively more commercially viable, the sources said, adding that now there is a situation that those international airlines, which have quit their operations to Karachi are operating from Dubai even for traffic from Pakistan reducing the status of Karachi airport to merely a feeder airport.
“It is more of a business decision, as the route is no more economically viable. The Hong Kong-Karachi traffic is quite low and we largely depend on traffic to and from Karachi-Bangkok, which has been largely affected due to political turmoil in Bangkok,” Yunus told The News.
Cathay will operate 14 more flights to and from Karachi before operations cease. This is to avoid disruptions for the hundreds of passengers who will be travelling prior to the holy month of Ramazan.
Moreover, the company has advised customers to check the airline’s website for updates and developments.
Younas said the operations have been suspended for the time being and they are evaluating the costs and feasibility.
Cathay Pacific currently operates four flights a week from Karachi to international destinations.
Abid Kaimkhani, spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said that so far the authority has not received any communication regarding Cathay Pacific’s such plans.
As many as 19 foreign carriers come to Pakistan. Other than the airlines originating from the Gulf countries, the only notable carrier is Cathay Pacific. Sources said that security is not the reason behind foreign airlines leaving Pakistan; instead it was the Persian Gulf aviation cartel.
There is a respectable growth of air traffic from Pakistan, which is estimated at five percent to nine percent per annum. However despite growth in traffic, the number of international airlines has drastically been reduced to Pakistan, the sources said.
Aviation sector experts feel that one of the major reasons behind quitting of operations by the international airlines to Pakistan can be attributed to the harsh bureaucratic attitude in the country.
The difficulties in repatriation of earnings, landing charges, fuel cost in Pakistan, which is stated to be the highest in the region, are some of the factors creating problems for the international airlines.
Consequently, the airlines have no other option but to shift their operations from Karachi to Dubai, which is comparatively more commercially viable, the sources said, adding that now there is a situation that those international airlines, which have quit their operations to Karachi are operating from Dubai even for traffic from Pakistan reducing the status of Karachi airport to merely a feeder airport.
