AirSial (Urdu: ایئر سیال) is a Pakistani private airline based in Karachi, inaugurated on 9 December 2020.[1] Air Sial had its first domestic flight on December 25, 2020, and started flying internationally, with King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah as its first destination, on 29 March 2023. International operations were extended to Muscat in Oman from June 2023.
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| Founded | October 2017 | ||||||
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| Commenced operations | 25 December 2020 | ||||||
| Hubs | Sialkot International Airport | ||||||
| Focus cities | Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot, Jeddah, Muscat | ||||||
| Fleet size | 5 + 5 | ||||||
| Destinations | 10 | ||||||
| Parent company | Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry | ||||||
| Traded as | Air Sial Limited | ||||||
| Key people | Fazal Jilani, Chairman Ameen Ahsan, CEO | ||||||
| Employees | 2,000 (2024) | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
History
editThe concept of Air Sial was first mentioned on February 24 2008 by Sialkot International Airpot Limited chairman Babar Iqbal who announced the establishment of their "own airline for providing cheaper and advanced travelling facilities on domestic and international routes". Babar Iqbal said that the airline would be set up under the joint supervision of SIAL and the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).[2]
AirSial was launched by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry to improve air travel to and from the Sialkot region, which is a major industrial city in the province of Punjab. The airline initially served domestic destinations within Pakistan from its operational hub at Sialkot International Airport using a fleet of 3 Airbus A320 aircraft, flying to other major airports within Pakistan.[3] AirSial plans to further expand to destinations within the Middle East.[4] On April 14 2016 the company Air Sial formally started the registration of directors of “Airsial” under the supervision of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). Fazal Jillani took over as the patron-in-chief of the project. At the time Mr Jilani said, "he hoped that the new airline would begin its operation by the end of the current year (2016)". He also said that Air Sial's management would prefer to buy "Boeing 737-800" aircraft for its domestic and international flight operations.[5]
Later in June 2016, Mr Fazal Jillani said that “as many as 35 leading Overseas Pakistani investors have shown a keen interest in investing in the grand project of “Air Sial” airline.” The airline was registered by the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) as “Air Sial Limited” company.[6]
In December 2016 Air Sial submitted its Regular Public Transport (RPT) request to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). On 27 October 2017 Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab, who was replying on behalf of the minister for aviation, said that a licence was granted to Air Sial Limited last month to start operations in Pakistan. [7] According to Fazal Jillani, the license was received in the first week of October 2017. In the same interview, he said that "Air Sial shall take to air in May-June, 2018".[8] In May 2018 Mr Jillani again gave a new date for the launch of operations. This time he said that "all the operational arrangements have been completed to ensure the early start of the airline before the end of this year (2016)".[9] In December 2018 Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the operations of Air Sial. However, the airline did not launch its operations in December 2018.[10] The launch plan was postponed to the first quarter of 2019 but that again got delayed.
Launching the airline operations
editIn August 2019 Air Sial's board of directors approved the lease agreement with Irish leasing giant Aercap to acquire 3 Airbus A320 aircraft. On 6 August 2019, Air Sial Executive Board Chairman Fazal Jillani signed an agreement with Aercap representatives. Fazal Jillani is the CEO of Surgicon Private Limited and a director on the Sialkot International Airport board. [11] After so many delays the airline's website became operational in September 2020. Throughout the year the airline continued hiring. The airline got its first 3 Airbus A320s registered in Pakistan as AP-BOA, AP-BOB and AP-BOC. In November 2020 the first Airbus A320 started its movement towards Pakistan. On 29 November the aircraft AP-BOA arrived at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport.[12] Thus for the first time, it looked like that airline was on the cusp of launching its flight operations any day. The second Airbus A320 AP-BOB arrived on 05 December 2020 at Sialkot International Airport. On December 11 2020, the third aircraft of Air Sial AP-BOC arrived at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport.
On 9 December 2020, Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated AirSial at Sialkot International Airport. This was not the launch of operations. Prominent Pakistani fashion designer Nomi Ansari designed the crew uniforms for the Air Sial. [13] The airline launched scheduled passenger flight operations on December 25 with daily Airbus A320 flights between Karachi and Islamabad & between Karachi and Lahore. The first flight was PF121 to Islamabad which departed from Karachi early in the morning on December 25.
Destinations
editAirSial operates flights to the following airports: [14]
Fleet
editCurrent fleet
editThe fleet operated by AirSial consists of the following aircraft.
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 5 | ||
| Airbus A330-300 | 0 | To be inducted soon | |
| Total | 5 |
Fleet development
editAirSial initially signed an agreement to lease three Airbus A320-200 aircraft from AerCap.[16]
In an interview with PlaneSpottersPakistan, Chairman Fazal Jilani discussed the possibility of introducing Airbus A330 aircraft.[17]
On 30 March 2022, AirSial announced an agreement with BOC Aviation for two more Airbus A320-200 aircraft on lease.[18]
Interior
editEach Airbus A320 is fitted with a basic 3x3 layout in an all economy configuration, and has 180 seats.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Dawn.com, APP | (9 December 2020). "PM Imran inaugurated Air Sial during day-long visit to Sialkot". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "Sialkot tycoons to set up airline". 25 February 2008.
- ^ ""Air Sial Airlines, Air Sial Flight Booking"". Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Air Sial to Begin Operations". Aeronautics Online. 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Airsial – another initiative of exporters". 14 April 2016.
- ^ "Overseas Pakistanis showing interest in investing 'Air Sial' airline project". 10 June 2016.
- ^ "Abbasi defends LNG contract with Qatar". 27 October 2017.
- ^ "Another feather in Sialkot's much-festooned cap". 6 November 2017.
- ^ "Air Sial to launch at the end of year". 16 May 2018.
- ^ "PM Imran gives approval for new airline". 28 December 2018.
- ^ "Air Sial board of directors approves the lease agreement with Aercap for 3 Airbus A320s". 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Air Sial first aircraft arrival".
- ^ "We proudly announce the official designer for our crew uniforms - Nomi Ansari". 6 December 2020.
- ^ "AirSial Limited Corporate Head Office". AirSial. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Pakistani start-up AirSial to lease trio of A320s from AerCap". Flight Global. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ AirSial - A Documentary, Interview and Trip report. Retrieved 23 January 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "AirSial to Add Two Airbus A320 Aircraft in its Fleet - History of PIA - Forum". historyofpia.com. Retrieved 6 May 2022.