|
|
| Flights Home » Airlines of the world » Asia » Pakistan » Aero Asia International |
|
Aero Asia International |
Aero Asia International, operated domestic and international services, was a low cost private airline. It was based at Jinnah International Airport in the Karachi city of Pakistan. The airline was suspended from flying for failing to meet safety standards in May 2007. Owned by the Tabani Group of companies, the Aero Asia International Pakistan airline started operations in the May of 1993.
Two Romanian airlines for wet-lease & lease-purchase of BAC 1-11 aircraft were contracted from Romavia Airlines, a sister company of Romanian Air Force. Later, four BAC 1-11 aircraft were taken on lease purchase option from the national airline of Romania, Tarom. For the training of cabin crew, a training school was founded. Ex Pakistan Air Force pilots started flying as co-pilots with Romanian pilots.
In 1994, Aero Asia International announced that a fully functional aircraft maintenance facility was on the cards. The center employed senior retired staff from the PIA training center. Approval of training school from civil aviation authority was asked for.
The airline Aero Asia International lost out on operating international routes to Shaheen Air International, a subsidy of Pakistan Air Force. The much coveted route of Karachi to Dubai, with Shaheen Air International and PIA sharing, was not given to Aero Asia International in Pakistan.
Aero Asia International 's first international operation was on route to Bishkek in Central Asia for which purpose, a 707 aircraft was leased. The move to central Asian ex USSR states was to help Tabani group's other businesses in these countries.
Later Aero Asia International in Pakistan did start Gulf flights to Sharjah linking Dubai with a road network!
|
|
Aero Asia operated Yakovlev Yak-42D on Pakistan's main trunk routes, namely Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. With rising demand, the YAK-42Ds with replaced with Douglas DC-9s and Boeing 737-200Adv.
In 2006, all Aero Asia flights were stopped by the Civil Aviation Authority as it was owed millions.
Again in 2006 itself, the UK-based Regal Group (ownership of Pakistani descent) bought Aero Asia from the Tabani Group. Regal Group had headquarters in Yorkshire and Karachi.
In May 2007, due to safety of operations and passenger convenience related issues, Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan suspended Aero Asia International flights after a plethora of shortcomings in the airline's flight safety standards were made public.
The problems had been highlighted to Aero Asia International management time and again, but the situation, instead of improving, deteriorated. The airline finally announced suspending operations till further notice and said it was on the lookout for other aircrafts.
|
|
|
|
|
