Fly Jinnah (FJ) to Start Flights Between Karachi and Dhaka

[Abbas Ali]

Fly Jinnah (FJ) to start flights between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

https://www.nation.com.pk/30-Jan-2025/p ... -agreement

[danyal77W]

Why would you start flights to Bangladesh when you can start flights to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Doha, Bahrain, Dubai, and Kuwait ?

Bangladesh would only make sense if FJ transits via Lahore, Karachi or Islamabad.

[London Flyer]

I was recently thinking how both air blue (LHE) and FJ (ISB or LHE) could capitalise on east-west traffic from that region. My feeling is the FJ makes very considered choices and that’s the reason for their profitability (that AirArabia is loving based on interviews I’ve read) so I’m sure there is enough for them here. Personally, I’m celebrating any new direct convectively Pakistan has.

[Averagespotter]

It'll be interesting to see how this route materialises. Out of the ten largest export destinations in Asia for Pakistani goods, only Bangladesh and South Korea don't have direct flights (Based on 2022 data). Additionally I read on AlJazeera that 2 million ethnic Bengalis live in Pakistan, so I can foresee some air traffic demand from Karachi.

[raihans]

FJ can capture the Bangladeshi market which PK left long ago

[Karachi Aviator]

In terms of demand, Karachi-Dhaka makes the most sense but Islamabad-Dhaka is also a good route to operate as it's the capital and the recent improvement in relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh might bring in diplomatic and business traffic. I don't think any Pakistani airline can capture Bangladesh's transit market and offer connections to ME or Westwards from Lahore, Islamabad or Karachi. Delhi is a major hub in south asia and Air India has good frequencies to Bangladesh, Nepal etc, and of course the ME carriers are in competition too. Pakistani airlines to a large extent will keep on serving O&D markets and routes in the near future.

Good initiative by FJ to start flights to Dhaka. Let's see when they go International from Karachi as well. Maybe Karachi-Dhaka route might be their first international route from KHI.

[ba260]

Great to hear that Fly Jinnah is taking a bold step and entering a new market than the typical GCC routes. I'd love to see Pakistani airlines offering more routes east of Pakistan, something we lack and gave the whole market to Thai and Batik Air. Hopefully Fly Jinnah uses this chance to capture transit traffic, back in the day PIA use to take passengers from India and Bangladesh and transit them onwards to other PIA destinations.

[Amaad Lone]

Karachi to Dhaka is a very sentimental route also. The two largest cities in West and East Pakistan, I think it was the first flight operated by PIA by its Super Constellations. I think this route should be kept alive. I wonder if possible to find out the flight number for PIA flights between Karachi and Dhaka.

[Sami Warsi]

About 2 million Bengalis live in sindh region, hence has a greater passenger market in KHI than LHE or ISB

[A310]

PIA for the longest time operated KHI-DAC flights with the 310s. Then I think it was operated by 320 2015 onwards till the route was discontinued. PK-266/267 used to be a regular feature from Karachi.

[Abbas Ali]

PIA also operated Boeing 747 flights between Karachi and Dhaka.

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/7048768

https://www.planespotters.net/photo/388 ... ng-747-367

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has approved operation of Fly Jinnah (FJ) flights between Dhaka and Karachi.

Fly Jinnah (FJ) will appoint its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Bangladesh before starting flights.

https://www.thedailystar.net/life-livin ... te-3815401

[bukhari917]

I can see Fly Jinnah aiming for transit passengers to/from Middle East. Karachi - Dhaka route has potential but won’t do without filling the aircraft with transit traffic to/from ME.

[faisal-777]

Does Air Arabia fly to Dhaka? If yes, then i dont see this Fly Jinnah being opportunity to carry transit passengers. Why would you fly to KHI, then to Sharjah to transit onwards when you can fly directly to Sharjah (assuming Air Arabia flies to Dhaka).

IMO this is only going to focus on point to point passenger traffic.

[Karachi Aviator]

I can see Fly Jinnah aiming for transit passengers to/from Middle East. Karachi - Dhaka route has potential but won’t do without filling the aircraft with transit traffic to/from ME.

Fly Jinnah doesn't fly from Karachi to ME firstly. Secondly, even if they did, why would someone transit at Karachi over Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha etc...? Don't forget Air Arabia itself operates 4x daily flights to Dhaka. It's purely going to be an O&D route. And from Karachi specifically, there should be enough demand for 3-4 weekly flights or even more.

Recently, Bangladesh eased visa requirements for Pakistanis which should be a plus factor alongside the business demand which can be catered.