Pakistan’s latest startup airline Serene Air has pushed its launch date further as it awaits its 2 aircrafts to start the scheduled operations. Serene Air based out of Islamabad is the latest private airline to start operations. It received brand new Boeing 737-800 next generation that arrived in Pakistan on 22 November.
We can exclusively reveal the fact that Serene Air is talking to Turkish Airlines to get up to 4 or even more Boeing 737-800NG. Due to economic downturn amid recent wave of terrorist attacks Turkish Airlines and its subsidiaries like AndoluJet have grounded quite a few aircrafts. Key Serene executives have been meeting with officials in Turkey and with officials from Shaheen there is more likelihood of Turkish planes joining Serene fleet. There are other Turkish options available as well but from what we are hearing Serene will get THY planes.
Serene Air has opened its offices and counters at various airports and it has received clearance to launch from various cities including Multan. Pakistani aviation rules bind startup airlines to serve domestic routes before allowing them to serve international destinations. According to aviation rules Eight destinations i.e. Chitral, Gilgit, Skardu, Gawadar, Panjgur, Turbat, Pasni and Jiwani would continue to be treated as socio-economic routes and the fares would be deregulated. So Serene air will either operate flights to these destinations or pay a fine like other domestic airlines do.
The new aviation policy requires a minimum fleet requirement to be at least three aircraft to avoid inconvenience to the traveling public.