Air Karachi, Pakistan’s newest private airline, will offer domestic airfares up to 40% cheaper than current market rates, according to Airline chairman Hanif Gauhar. The fare reduction is made possible through the use of Chinese-manufactured aircraft, which reduce operational costs significantly.
Air Karachi will start operation in the end of 2025, with initial fleet consisting of three leased airliners and wish to expand in the first year to seven airliners. Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), has already issued the airline a Regular Public Transport (RPT) license and the company is in the process of obtaining Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
The fare policy of Air Karachi caters to affordability to the passengers travelling in the major cities of Pakistan with the objective to target the market by offering lower rates of tickets. During the first phase, Chinese pilots will fly the plane with local Pakistani pilots undergoing training in the simulators.
The airline is backed by 100 Karachi-based investors contributing to a total project size of Rs 5 billion. Air Karachi has signed an MRO agreement with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to access maintenance and repair facilities. The fleet and operations will be supported through technical partnerships for local infrastructure and spare engine procurement.
Air Karachi’s fare model is inspired by AirSial’s framework and is tailored for the low-cost carrier (LCC) segment, targeting routes such as Karachi to Islamabad, Karachi to Lahore, Lahore to Quetta, and other underserved domestic routes.
