According to following advertisement in today's (October 4) newspaper, iconair (flyiconair.com) is going to start non-stop special flights from Islamabad for Najaf and Mashhad.
Islamabad to Mashhad flights starting from October 12, 2015.
Islamabad to Najaf flights starting from October 16 and October 20, 2015. (probably twice-a-week service)
Reasonable fare.
25 kg baggage allowance.
7 kg hand baggage allowance.
In-flights meal service.
After just watching the cover photo on the facebook link, I was about to say... I wouldn't be surprised if its A320... Then I scrolled down and guess what, they have been recruiting flight-deck and cabin crew on the A320 family, lol.
Now I am confused, I have never heard of them before, but I found another post saying that their first batch trained for 737-300 at PIA training center... The post is from 2012. So they've been trying for a while I guess.
Abbas Ali wrote:Seems something went wrong with their planning. Flight dates announced in newspapers, leased aircraft also arrived but flights not operated.
How can the management of icon Air run an airline by hit and trial basis. There marketing analyst have no idea of social, religious ,or cultural significance of routes they plan to fly.
It is too late for the Icon Air to fly anywhere there is no high immediate demand for charter to Mashad in Iran and Najaf in Iraq, people fly to Najaf for the Arbaeen Chelem procession of Imam Hussain A.S which is only six days away. 30 millions people have already arrived in Holy city of Kerbala 80 kilometers North of Najaf Airport. Qatar, Emirates, FlyDubai already carried all the passengers and took the big share from Pakistan .
People do not go to Mashad in winter as that city temperatures are -6 and -11 till mid March , after that air tickets are easily available no charter flight required.
If Icon Air is really ready for take off and plan to fly to international destinations they should consider Lahore Manama Najaf , Karachi Manama Najaf , Islamabad Manama Najaf, flying a weekly schedule and making a stop in Behrain , this route can be popular and profitable , There is air agreement between Pakistan and Bahrain that air agreement should be allowing Pakistan operators to carry passengers from Bahrain.
Average family of a Bahrain resident consist of 20 members, One adult male three wives and 18 childers , entire population of Bahrain is Shia , each family visit Iraq three times a year, Icon Air will not have problem filling up there airplane at Manama.
Mashad by air may not be a choice of passengers as many people travel by other means from Pakistan and it is much cheaper , PIA flew from Quetta to Mashad Iran and the people who flew that last PIA flight had a terrible and worse experience I dont think they will ever fly to Mashad by PIA.
PIA did announce flying to Najaf by never went ahead with that.
Airplane is flown with brain not with stick and rudder.
After remaining inactive for nearly two months, AMC Aviation Boeing 737-86N registration SU-BPZ performed test flight from & to Karachi today. The test flight was completed in forty-three minutes.
