Aero Asia International
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| Aero Asia | ||
|---|---|---|
| IATA E4 |
ICAO RSO |
Callsign AERO ASIA |
| Founded | 1993 | |
| Hubs | Jinnah Intl Airport | |
| Focus cities | Allama Iqbal Intl Airport Islamabad Intl Airport Dubai International Airport |
|
| Fleet size | 2 | |
| Destinations | 11 | |
| Parent company | Regal Group | |
| Headquarters | Karachi, Pakistan | |
| Key people | CHAUDHARY ZAHOOR AHMED | |
| Website: http://www.aeroasia.com | ||
Aero Asia International was a private airline based in Karachi, Pakistan. It operated domestic and international services. Its main base was Jinnah International Airport, Karachi[1]. However, since May 2007 the airline was suspended from flying for failing to meet safety standards.
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[edit] History
The airline was established in 1993 and started operations on 4 May 1993[1] and was owned by the Tabani Group of companies.
Initial Year The airline took a promising start employing senior ex-PIA management with a serious growth plan. The airline contracted two Romanian airlines for wet-lease & lease-purchase of BAC 1-11 aircraft. Operations were started with wet-leased BAC 1-11 aircraft from VIP fleet of Romania operated by Romavia Airlines, a sister company of Romanian Airforce. This fleet was primarily used by Romanian government dignitaries during Ceauşescu's times. However post Ceauşescu governments decided to earn a little money by leasing this fleet to other commercial operators. Later Aero Asia obtained four BAC 1-11 aircraft on lease purchase option from Tarom, the national airline of Romania. The airline in its initial years was serious for training of its staff hired locally following the example of PIA & in line with requirements of local civil aviation authority. A small training school was founded for training of cabin crew. Ex Pakistan Airforce pilots were recruited who start flying as co-pilots with Romanian Pilots. In 1994 Aero Asia took the usual step for a private airline in Pakistan by recruitment of batch of trainees for aircraft maintenance announcing that a fully functional aircraft maintenance facility was on cards. Senior retired staff from PIA training center was employed and approval of the training school from local civil aviation authority was sought. The airline lost its bid to be first Pakistani private airline to operate on international routes to its newly founded rival Shaheen Air International, a subsidy of Pakistan Airforce. It was also not granted much coveted route of Karachi-Dubai where Shaheen Air International was sharing Monpoly of PIA. Aero Asia started its international operation on route to Bishkek in Central Asia. For this purpose another aircraft from VIP fleet of Romania, a 707 aircraft was leased. The move to shift international operation to central Asian ex USSR states was suppose to help other businesses of Tabani group in penetrating these countries. Later Aero Asia starts flying to the Gulf emirates of Sharjah linking Dubai via road network. It also established a small maintenance facility in Sharjah Airport Free Zone by taking over a small aircraft hangar offering services such as paint jobs to third parties. Aero Asia operated a fleet of three to five Yakovlev Yak-42D on main trunk routes in Pakistan. These were mainly Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore. However as demand rose through the years the airline replaced its YAK-42Ds with Boeing 737-200Adv and Douglas DC-9s. The airline also introduced a more modern livery instead of having colour of past operators of the aircraft on its fuselage. A large "Aero Asia" was added to the front fuselage in bold red colour with the airline logo in between the words and on the tail.[citation needed]
At the start of 2006, Aero Asia and Askari Bank MasterCard announced their strategic alliance to offer their card members special discounts. On May 22, 2006 the Civil Aviation Authority stopped all Aero Asia flights as it was owed millions of Rupees. The management of the airline were pre-informed about the CAA decision and the ban would remain imposed till further orders by the aviation regulators.
On June 12, 2006 United Kingdom-based Regal Group acquired Aero Asia from its original owners Tabani Group. Regal Group belonging to owners of Pakistani descent, has headquarters in Karachi and Yorkshire. The brand has a presence in Pakistan, United States, and United Kingdom. The airline is currently in the process of being rebranded and restructured.[citation needed].
In May 2007 the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan suspended the operations of Aero Asia due to issues related to the safety of operations and passenger convenience, after a number of deficiencies in the airline's flight safety standards were revealed. The problems had been highlighted to the management of Aero Asia time and again, but the situation, instead of improving, deteriorated. The airline announced that it had decided to suspend operations temporarily with effect from 19 May 2007 till further notice and was looking for new aircraft.
[edit] Destinations
Aero Asia International provides the following services:
[edit] Domestic
- Faislabad - Faisalabad International Airport
- Islamabad - Islamabad International Airport
- Karachi - Jinnah International Airport
- Lahore - Allama Iqbal International Airport
- Multan - Multan International Airport
- Peshawar - Peshawar International Airport
- Sukkur - Sukkur Airport
[edit] International
- Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi International Airport
- Al Ain - Al Ain International Airport
- Doha - Doha International Airport
- Dubai - Dubai International Airport
- Muscat - Seeb International Airport
[edit] Former
Aero Asia served Bishkek and Sharjah in the past, as well as to domestic cities Pasni and Quetta.
[edit] Fleet
The Aero Asia International fleet includes the following aircraft (at 3 June 2008):
- 2 McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 (which are operated by Khors Aircompany)
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines", Flight International, 2007-03-27, p. 46.
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