Islamabad,
July 15, 2019 (PPI-OT):Bilateral relations regarding aviation sector exist
between Pakistan and UAE which help large number of expatriate Pakistanis who
live in UAE. This was said by Federal Minister for Aviation, Ghulam Sarwar Khan
during a call on with UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salim
Al-Zaabi on Monday. On the occasion, different matters of mutual interest
including the promotion of bilateral relations in aviation sector between
Pakistan and UAE were discussed. Ghulam Sarwar Khan added that UAE has always
extended full support to Pakistani aviation sector.
The Air
Service Agreement (ASA) between Pakistan and Gulf States (UAE being part) was concluded
in December 1972. A revised text of the ASA was initialed on June 02, 2015.
PIA, Air Blue and Shaheen Air are the designated airlines of Pakistan, whereas
Emirates Airlines, Fly Dubai, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and RAK Airways are
the designated airlines of UAE. As per MOU signed on June 02, 2015 the
designated airlines of Pakistan are entitled to operate unlimited number of
frequencies between points in Pakistan and points in the UAE, with unrestricted
5th freedom traffic rights through any intermediate points and to any beyond
points.
Currently
PIA is having 32 flight operations from Pakistan to Dubai, 15 flight operations
to Abu Dhabi and 9 flight operations to Sharjah. Similarly, Air Blue is
currently having 20 flights to Dubai, 11 flight operations to Abu Dhabi and 18
flight operations to Sharjah. On the other hand, Emirates/Air Dubai is
currently having 134 flights between Dubai and Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore,
Peshawar, Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Quetta. Etihad is having 39 flight
operations between Abu Dhabi and Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Sialkot
and Multan. Air Arabia is having 52 flights between main cities of Pakistan.
Air
Arabia is also having 8 flight operations between Ras al Khaima and 7 main
cities. The designated airlines of UAE also want to start flight operation
between Dubai and Turbat, Gwadar and Panjgur, with unrestricted 5th freedom
traffic rights through any intermediate points and to any beyond points. During
call on, Fly Dubai, a designated airline of UAE, has requested 04 additional
frequencies for Multan which were vacated by Emirates. The request is under
process in consultation with CAA and PIA.
Similarly
has requested for enhanced A380 aircraft operation from Islamabad International
Airport. It is important to note that the designated airlines of the UAE have
long established their business models on the concepts of the hub-and-spoke
framework and are heavily involved in the carriage of 6th freedom traffic
to/from Pakistan. Traffic rights are based primarily on the origin and
destination traffic movement between any two States as the 3rd and 4th freedom
traffic movement. The meeting was also attended by Shahrukh Nusrat, Secretary
Aviation Division and representatives of various UAE based airlines.
For more information, contact:
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