Pakistan's national airline (PIA) has formally launched its operation for the United Arab Emirates from Quetta. All tickets for the first flight were sold out on Monday, but the flight was canceled due to inclement weather in Quetta.
According to PIA officials, initially one flight a week from Quetta to Dubai will be operated every Monday. Soon the number of these flights will be doubled weekly.
In a simple ceremony in Quetta, Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri inaugurated PIA's direct flight service from Quetta to Dubai.Qasim Suri said that a large number of people from Quetta and Balochistan do business and work in the UAE and they had to go to Karachi first to go to Dubai which also caused them additional expenses.
He said that direct flight from Quetta to Dubai was a long standing demand of the people of Balochistan which was met by PIA.
According to Qasim Suri, many Afghans also want to go to Dubai via Quetta who will benefit from PIA flight service.
Bilal Afzal, District Manager, PIA Quetta, said that PIA has started direct flights from Quetta to Dubai at the request of consumers.
According to Bilal Afzal, Corona affected the travel and tourism industry and airlines around the world had to limit their operations. Started Five weekly flights are also being operated from Turbat and Gwadar.
Shabir Tareen, a representative of PIA's sales department, told Urdu News that work was being done on the main runway of Quetta Airport and therefore alternative runways were being used. Airbus 320 is currently being used on this route with a capacity of 161 passengers.
According to Shabbir Tareen, all the tickets for the first flight had been booked but the flight was canceled due to non-receipt of permission from the Civil Aviation as the visibility in Quetta was less than five kilometers.
He said that the second flight from Karachi to Dubai is being adjusted or the tickets are being refunded to the passengers as per their wish.
According to a PIA official, the national airline has fixed a one-way fare of Rs 25,000 and a two-way fare of Rs 50,000.
