Etihad, Qatar, Turkish & Oman Air to Sialkot soon

[genial]

Pakistan’s Sialkot International Airport expects three Gulf carriers and Turkish Airlines will start passenger operations from the airport in the next three months, chairman Muhammad Yaqub told Khaleej Times at the Airport Show, which concluded on Tuesday.



Muhammad Yaqub named Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Oman Air as the three Gulf carriers that will ‘probably’ start passenger operations at Sialkot International. — Supplied photo

Sialkot is the country’s only private airport and its runway is 3.6 kilometres — the longest in Pakistan.

“Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Oman Air are the three Gulf carriers that will probably start passengers operations from next month or within three months,” Yaqub disclosed.

Earlier this year, Gulf Air started its commercial operations from January 17 from Sialkot as its fifth destination in Pakistan. Qatar Airways has already completed five years at the airport for its cargo operations and is now planning for passengers’ service, he informed.

He mentioned that the airport is already serving other UAE airlines such as Emirates (four weekly flights), flydubai (three weekly flights) and Air Arabia (seven weekly flights).

Talking about airport facilities, he said that airport expansion is going on at the moment. The upper floor is expected to be completed by December this year and that would be the departure lounge, he said, adding that at present the ground floor is being used for arrivals and departures.

Giving a historic background of the airport, he said: “For many years, the business community of Sialkot has been earnestly demanding for an international airport. It is a tribute to the determination and commitment of the people of Sialkot particularly its dynamic business community that has built such a low-cost international airport on a self-help basis, setting a unique example in the history of aviation.”

Sialkot International Airport has been fully operational since 2007 and a number of flights on various international routes are operating successfully. The success of this mega project in fact is the success of the area bounded by the “golden triangle” comprising Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat in the aftermath of the successful accomplishment of this mega project of great significance.

“I can foresee very revolutionary changes... which is bringing in revolutionary changes in the socio-economic sector of the whole region,” he hoped.

The Export Triangle of Pakistan comprising Gujrat, Sialkot and Gujranwala is internationally famous for producing and exporting sports goods, gloves, surgical instruments, sportswear, cutlery, ceramics, and leather garments, among others.

Before this airport, air cargo for the area was sent to Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi Airports via Sambrial Dry Port. It was a tough exercise indeed as it involved extra expenses and time apart from other difficulties faced by exporters. Moreover, customers from abroad were hesitant and reluctant to travel to Sialkot, Wazirabad and Gujrat due to security reasons and it has been a matter of great inconvenience for exporters in the region. Due to these logistic problems, full export potential of these cities was not being realised.

Source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article- ... aebusiness