Fly Jinnah begins commercial operations

KARACHI: Fly Jinnah, Pakistan’s new low-cost carrier (LCC) started its commercial operations with its first flight to Islamabad on Tuesday

Adel Al Ali, croup chief Executive officer, Air Arabia said Fly Jinnah takes off to the skies. “This step reflects the carrier’s strategic commitment to offer reliable and value for money air travel to its customer base in Pakistan.” A statement quoted Ali as saying.

“We are excited to mark the start of Fly Jinnah’s operations with four domestic routes and remain eager to further expand our network and services. We thank our partners and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority for their support, and we look forward to welcoming customers on board our flights”.

Upon the arrival of the inaugural flight at Islamabad Airport, the aircraft was received with the traditional water cannon salute.

Fly Jinnah now operates direct daily flights from Karachi to Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar. In addition to that, the airline operates direct flights four times weekly between Karachi and Quetta.

Earlier this month, the airline received its Air Operator Certificate and Air Operating License from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) allowing Fly Jinnah to start its domestic operations.

Fly Jinnah has started its operations with a fleet that consists of three Airbus A320-200 aircraft, the most modern and best-selling single aisle aircraft in the world. The aircraft is configured with 174 seats and therefore provides added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitches of any economy cabin. The aircraft is also equipped with “SkyTime”, a free in-flight streaming service that allows passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices.

Lakson Group and Air Arabia Group announced their decision to form a JV airline in Pakistan in September 2021, with Karachi as its hub. ‘Fly Jinnah’ follows Air Arabia’s successful low-cost business model, in which the carrier operates short to medium haul flights focusing on its customer base with a reliable operation and value-driven product.