ECONOMYNEXT – Direct flight by Pakistan’s private airline operator Air Sial between Colombo and Islamabad is likely to reduce the air ticket cost, Sri Lankan High Commissioner for Pakistan Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne said.
No direct flight is operating between Colombo and Islamabad now.
Sri Lankans travel to Pakistan’s capital via Dubai or Doha Qatar, with transit flights at a higher cost and long duration. The alternative with land route from Lahore or Karachi also takes much time.
“This connectivity has to increase. We are unable to do it with Sri Lankan Airlines,” Wijegunaratne told EconomyNext from Islamabad.
“So we need to get private airlines. This is a very profitable route. SriLankan (Airline) does not have aircraft and the tickets are expensive because of monopoly,” he said.
“A direct flight from Colombo to Islamabad will be only 3.5 hours. The Pakistan government has realized this and now Air Sial is given approval and it is already operating mostly for Buddhist countries.”
Air Sial was given approval last month under National Aviation Policy 2023 to start flights to China, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, and Kuwait.
The airline was inaugurated on December 9. 2020 and commenced its first domestic flight on December 25, 2020.
The Karachi-based career started flying internationally to Saudi Arabia in 2023 followed by to Oman. (Colombo/June 04/2024)