An American airline, Ravn Alaska Airlines, has expressed its interest in commencing flight operations in Pakistan. The airline has approached the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to seek permission for launching operations and is specifically seeking a Third Country Operator License.
In the context of this development, it's noteworthy that Pakistan is currently grappling with challenges related to the resumption of flights to the United Kingdom by its national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
PIA is facing financial difficulties, leading to the grounding of aircraft, and the government has decided to privatize the carrier to address economic viability issues.
In a recent development, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet approved a Rs. 8 billion bridge financing package for PIA.
This financing, to be provided through the Civil Aviation Authority’s resources, aims to address PIA’s urgent overdue payment obligations. Additionally, the ECC granted approval for the Aviation Division to proceed with the bilateral arrangement between the CAA and PIA.