Nairobi now on PIA route

[piacanada]

LAHORE: Syed Zahid Hussain, Pakistan's High Commissioner to Kenya, called on Tariq Kirmani, Chairman & CEO, PIA and discussed matters relating to the national airline's flights to Nairobi, which would subsequently be extended to Johannesburg, South Africa. The inaugural flight to Nairobi on September 1, 2005, will be the first PIA flight to anywhere in Africa after several years. In line with PIA's policy of expanding its operations and increasing its destinations, the new route will promote cultural and trade relations between the two countries, said PIA media release on Monday.Syed Zahid Hussain referred to some of the internationally renowned tourist attractions in Kenya, where the number of tourists are likely to reach the one million mark this year. Direct fights between the two countries will also induce Kenyan tourists to visit Pakistan

source: http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html

[behramjee]

I hope its KHI-NBO-JNB twice a week A 310 and not KHI-DXB-NBO-JNB A 310 twice a week

[cheetah]

I have flown on the KHI - DXB - NBO route. 40% of the load got on from Dubai.

[behramjee]

I have flown on the KHI - DXB - NBO route. 40% of the load got on from Dubai.

Perhaps...but u flew in the days when Kenya Airways was a hopeless airline and not the world class 4 star airline that is today.

Ever since KLM took over its management dealings, the airline has truly transformed itself and has thrown out Gulf Air on the AUH-NBO route and has given EK very big headaches on their double daily DXB-NBO-DXB flights which has seen 100s upon 100s of pax switch to KQ.

Correct me if Im wrong...but Kenya Airways too won this year or last year the African Airline of the Year Award. It is really a great airline to fly with now on board their new B 777-200ERs + B 763ERs + B 737-700s. The same can be said of Ethiopian Airlines since 2000.

With KQ and ET having daily flights to DXB + EK offering dbl daily DXB-NBO flights, it will be a very tough for PIA to attract decent 5th freedom traffic at a decent yield especially in Economy class.

PIA should ensure that once JNB starts that the flight should be routed via DXB and instead plain and simple KHI-NBO-JNB.

DEP KHI 1600 Arr NBO 2015
Dep NBO 2150 Arr KHI 0540

In this way it can easily connect to the 8-830am BOM/DEL/DAC departures from KHI + with the 1300-1330 arrivals from these South Asian cities...KHI-NBO nonstop I think is a 6.15 hour nonstop flight?


The African bound flight should also be made to depart KHI in the late afternoon around 4pm thus enabling it to be fed with lots of 6th freedom traffic generated from the early afternoon arrivals of PIA's flights from BOM, DAC and DEL. Indians in South Africa number over 850,000 with 700,000 alone residing in DURBAN!!!

[PIAinORD]

behram, how has Kenya Airlines been able to transform itself, while PIA seems to been in the same stupor that has plagued it for years? Its tought to stomach seeing PIA's standards so low, hopefully Air Blue's rapid growth will be the push PIA needs to succeed...

[behramjee]

behram, how has Kenya Airlines been able to transform itself

Simple, KLM took over the airline in a management-alliance capacity in 1999-2000 and since then you have all the old A 310s retired and replaced by spanking new B 763ERs and B 772ERs which have tvs in every seat and a 76 inch seat pitch flat bed in business class.

You have the gas guzzling B 732s and B 733s too being retired and replaced by fuel efficient B 737-700s with winglets.

And lastly all the KQ bus routes (i.e. multiple stops) from NBO to EU-UK and Africa were terminated in favor of nonstops .

The same way KLM helped manage transform KQ from a 2 star airline to a 4 star one is the same way in which EK did so for UL-Sri Lankan from 1998 onwards !!!

[Amaad Lone]

I would suggest atleast four weekly flights into Nairobi via Dubai.

Take a full load from Karachi to Dubai, dump half of them in Dubai, and take a new load of 100 passengers from Dubai to Nairobi.

The flight will always be full.

PIA should be much cheaper then Emirates and Kenya Airways, the only way to compete with an airline operating twice a day.

I think Tripoli, Cairo and Lagos should be the next African cities via Dubai.

Anyone knows what kind of traffic rights (5th freedom) does PIA have via Dubai.

[PIAinORD]

Anyone knows what kind of traffic rights (5th freedom) does PIA have via Dubai.

Doesn't Dubai have a full open skies policy?

[atmalik]

So what say we give the management of PIA to KLM also for some time and see if they can sort PIA out for us also,

Behram, u suggest using the 310, wouldnt the 777 be a better option considering the distance to Johansberg etc??

[behramjee]

I would suggest atleast four weekly flights into Nairobi via Dubai.

I would not because that would mean JNB being routed KHI-DXB-NBO-JNB.

If NBO goes 4 weekly it should be KHI-NBO-JNB 2 weekly + KHI-DXB-NBO 2 weekly.

PIA should be much cheaper then Emirates and Kenya Airways, the only way to compete with an airline operating twice a day.

Indeed that is the only way as the A 310 inflight product of PIAs does not stand a 1% chance against KQs and EKs B 767s and B 777s that fly this route.

I think Tripoli, Cairo and Lagos should be the next African cities via Dubai.

TIP most definitely...the other 2 no need.

Take a full load from Karachi to Dubai, dump half of them in Dubai, and take a new load of 100 passengers from Dubai to Nairobi.

PIA can easily fill up the plane with Indians from KHI coming in from their BOM/DEL flights to NBO if they follow my proposed flight schedule timings and are cheaper than KQ-EK-ET-AI from BOM & DEL. Hence making them not too dependant on 5th freedom traffic via DXB which would be lower yielding than the one generated from India.

DEP KHI 1630 Arr DXB 1715...BOM/DEL flights arrive back between 1400-1500
Dep DXB 1815 Arr NBO 2115
Dep NBO 2230 Arr DXB 0520
Dep DXB 0620 Arr KHI 0900...BOM/DEL flights now depart at 1020am

Anyone knows what kind of traffic rights (5th freedom) does PIA have via Dubai.

As far as I know FULL anywhere anytime...thats why Emirates can fly multiple times daily to KHI .

Doesn't Dubai have a full open skies policy?

It does to an extent...but if your country doesnt want to play tit for tat then neither will DXB Govt.

Behramjee, u suggest using the 310, wouldnt the 777 be a better option considering the distance to Johansberg etc??

Not at all...the A 310 isnt flying KHI-JNB nonstop...its flying via NBO which is easily done by the A 310. The A 310 is perfect for a route structure such as KHI-NBO-JNB but not KHI-DXB-NBO-JNB!!!

[CoyBoy]

PIA serve Tripoli in North Africa, it was resumed in 2000 after a period of suspension from 1992 and that too due to UN sanctions on Libya, flight is routed as KHI-LHE-TIP, its their only African destination, contrary to the article claiming PIA dont fly to the continent at present.

[PK]

If the ticketa are cheaper than Emirates and other Airlines, It will work very well routed via Dubai.

90% of people are looking for cheaper trip rather than aircraft itself. A310 of PIAs are refurbished and they are not as bad as projected by some members.

Look at Moscow flight, it is very profitable route for PIA.

Few years ago, PIA flight to LHR was routed via DXB and it really worked very well, most of times it was overbooked. the timing was awsome, Week-end in Dxb starts on Thu-fri and in UK it's on Sat-Sun. the timing was such that they attracted lots of bussiness as well pleasure customers. Even there was a article in local newspaper about excellent timinghs of PIA. That was plus point for PIA and unfortunately for some coropate reasons from other carriers it was stopped.

DXB will be best option .......... why not exploit emirates market by selling cheaper tickets from their hub as they are doing from Pakistan market.

another example, Look at Houstan, it's flop!!!! it must be routed from a gulf destination as there are lot of Oil/Gas executives as well as american marines and lots of others will be travelling from Gulf to Houstan.

cheers !!

[Amaad Lone]

I would suggest atleast four weekly flights into Nairobi via Dubai.

Take a full load from Karachi to Dubai, dump half of them in Dubai, and take a new load of 100 passengers from Dubai to Nairobi.

The flight will always be full.

PIA should be much cheaper then Emirates and Kenya Airways, the only way to compete with an airline operating twice a day.

I think Tripoli, Cairo and Lagos should be the next African cities via Dubai.

http://www.piac.com.pk/flight_planner/d ... 23:59%20PM