By Saad Hasan
KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has prepared a draft national aviation policy, which is expected to be finalised in March this year, Director General CAA Farooq Rehmatullah told The News on Monday.
Without disclosing content of the draft, he said it would be presented to different airlines, experts and foreign stakeholders on February 7 to seek their input. “Their suggestions will be incorporated into the final policy, which will hopefully be approved by the CAA Board sometime in March,†he said without specifying if it would be anything close to open-sky policy.
It is prudent to recall Rehmatullah favouring an open-sky policy at a press conference held a few weeks ago. “Yes, I favour it (open-sky policy),†he had said but not without adding: “It should be kept in mind that each country has its own dynamics.â€ÂÂ
He said fundamentals of any aviation policy would be to enhance passenger travelling, provide benefit to the country and help growth of aviation industry. Pakistan has seen substantial increase in passenger travelling in the last couple of years and industry people believe that economic growth will continue to boost the number of passengers travelling to and from the country.
According to the CAA statistics, international and domestic passenger traffic at all airports increased to 13.5 million in 2004-05 from 11.8 million recorded a year earlier. This increase in passenger travelling has compelled the CAA to plan major expansion of infrastructure, which include development of airports and construction of some new ones.
Moreover, it is being felt that regional countries are experiencing exceptional growth in the aviation sector and Pakistan must also strive to grab its share. An executive of a Dubai-based airline, which carries the highest number of international passengers after the PIA, believes foreign airlines want to operate unlimited number of flights to Pakistan.
The open-sky policy, wherein there is no restriction on frequency of flights operating into a country, promotes innovation in the aviation sector, he said citing the example of Dubai, which was widely believed to have become the airline hub at the cost of aviation industry of Pakistan.
Another official of the same airline said increase in the number of flights to upcountry areas including Islamabad could be an incentive for the overall growth of the industry. Unfortunately, there is only one international airport to cover picturesque Northern Areas - the main attraction for tourists. This can restrict adoption of a policy close to open-sky arrangement. A source privy to the draft policy said it is very unlikely that any unlimited access will be granted to foreign airlines. However, he said, there are both merits and demerits of the draft.
Source: The News
National Aviation Policy draft prepared
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Abbas Ali
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National Aviation Policy draft prepared
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Abbas Ali
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Complete text of Pakistan's current National Aviation Policy is on following link:
Link: National Aviation Policy - Pakistan
Link: National Aviation Policy - Pakistan
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Open skies for Karachi, Lahore proposed
By Saad Hasan
KARACHI: Aviation authorities have proposed to open skies of Karachi and Lahore for intending foreign airlines in a bid to increase air traffic and passenger travel, a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) official told The News on Saturday.
This proposal incorporated into the draft of upcoming aviation policy, which was yet to be finalised, might widen the operational scope for international carriers restricted up until now to Gulf-based airlines, he added.
“The arrangement is based on point-to-point basis,†said the official, who wished to remain anonymous, explaining this fixed a destination up to which passengers could be carried barring flights from going beyond that point.
However, air routes to Islamabad and Peshawar have not been liberalised because of infrastructure constraints and the open skies policy draft has not excited the existing Gulf-based operators either.
“We do not see any benefit in this ‘controlled policy’ of third and fourth freedom rights,†says an official of one of the carriers. “This is discrimination against us, people from the (Gulf) region are investing so much in the country.â€ÂÂ
He said the policy in its present shape would only prove useful for small carriers from regional countries around Pakistan. “Already there is overcapacity at Dubai. So if fourth and fifth freedom is allowed then it is good,†he added.
Fourth and fifth freedom rights let an airline bring passengers from another country to ones own and then onward to a third country while third and fourth freedom right permits air traffic transit between two countries only.
The CAA’s move toward limited liberalisation of the aviation sector comes at a time when a domestic airline has announced the start of flights between Islamabad and Manchester, UK, raising concerns about its impact on the national flag carrier.
Pakistan has seen substantial increase in passenger travelling in the last couple of years and experts believe that economic growth will continue to boost the number of passengers travelling to and from the country.
According to CAA statistics, international and domestic passenger traffic at all airports increased to 13.5 million in 2004-05 from 11.8 million recorded a year earlier.
This increase in passenger travelling has compelled the CAA to plan a major expansion of infrastructure including renovation of airports and construction of some new ones.
Moreover, it is being felt that regional countries are experiencing exceptional growth in the aviation sector and Pakistan must also strive to grab its share.
Source: The News
By Saad Hasan
KARACHI: Aviation authorities have proposed to open skies of Karachi and Lahore for intending foreign airlines in a bid to increase air traffic and passenger travel, a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) official told The News on Saturday.
This proposal incorporated into the draft of upcoming aviation policy, which was yet to be finalised, might widen the operational scope for international carriers restricted up until now to Gulf-based airlines, he added.
“The arrangement is based on point-to-point basis,†said the official, who wished to remain anonymous, explaining this fixed a destination up to which passengers could be carried barring flights from going beyond that point.
However, air routes to Islamabad and Peshawar have not been liberalised because of infrastructure constraints and the open skies policy draft has not excited the existing Gulf-based operators either.
“We do not see any benefit in this ‘controlled policy’ of third and fourth freedom rights,†says an official of one of the carriers. “This is discrimination against us, people from the (Gulf) region are investing so much in the country.â€ÂÂ
He said the policy in its present shape would only prove useful for small carriers from regional countries around Pakistan. “Already there is overcapacity at Dubai. So if fourth and fifth freedom is allowed then it is good,†he added.
Fourth and fifth freedom rights let an airline bring passengers from another country to ones own and then onward to a third country while third and fourth freedom right permits air traffic transit between two countries only.
The CAA’s move toward limited liberalisation of the aviation sector comes at a time when a domestic airline has announced the start of flights between Islamabad and Manchester, UK, raising concerns about its impact on the national flag carrier.
Pakistan has seen substantial increase in passenger travelling in the last couple of years and experts believe that economic growth will continue to boost the number of passengers travelling to and from the country.
According to CAA statistics, international and domestic passenger traffic at all airports increased to 13.5 million in 2004-05 from 11.8 million recorded a year earlier.
This increase in passenger travelling has compelled the CAA to plan a major expansion of infrastructure including renovation of airports and construction of some new ones.
Moreover, it is being felt that regional countries are experiencing exceptional growth in the aviation sector and Pakistan must also strive to grab its share.
Source: The News
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Aviation policy before cabinet next month
Airport cities in Karachi, Lahore planned
KARACHI: Director General Civil Aviation Authority Farooq Rehmatullah has said the Authority has almost completed preparation of the new aviation policy and it would be presented to the cabinet by the end of March.
“The main features of the aviation policy include permission to private parties to build and operate airports and construction of hotels, shopping malls and other facilities in the vicinity of airports,†he said while speaking to the launching ceremony of Electronic Manifest Filing & Deconsolidation System by Customs at Karachi Airport on Tuesday.
Rehmatullah said the CAA had planned to connect the small cities and rural areas to rest of the country and the world through airports. “For that we are going to allow private parties to build airports and operate them,†he said.
The DG added that the Authority was also going to allow private parties to construct helipads and operate helicopters.
“Right now we don’t have hotels where foreign airlines’ crew could stay. We also lack other facilities that we are now going to build to attract foreign airlines,†he said.
“We are going to build airport cities in Karachi and Lahore at a cost of $4.5 billion, which will have hotels as well as recreational facilities, all with our own resources.â€ÂÂ
He said an airport in Islamabad was to be designed by world-renowned CPG. Rehmatullah said complexes were to be built in Karachi and Multan exclusively for handling and storage of cargo. In Karachi the 1,000 unutilised land of Karachi Airport would be utilised for this purpose. He said these complexes would also have refrigeration facilities.
The DG said they were now aiming to capture 10 per cent share of country’s total external trade from current 0.5 per cent only by providing more facilities to importers and exporters.
He said 50 per cent revenue should come from commercial and the rest from aeronautical. A very little percentage of revenue now comes from commercial sector, he said.
Source: The News
Airport cities in Karachi, Lahore planned
KARACHI: Director General Civil Aviation Authority Farooq Rehmatullah has said the Authority has almost completed preparation of the new aviation policy and it would be presented to the cabinet by the end of March.
“The main features of the aviation policy include permission to private parties to build and operate airports and construction of hotels, shopping malls and other facilities in the vicinity of airports,†he said while speaking to the launching ceremony of Electronic Manifest Filing & Deconsolidation System by Customs at Karachi Airport on Tuesday.
Rehmatullah said the CAA had planned to connect the small cities and rural areas to rest of the country and the world through airports. “For that we are going to allow private parties to build airports and operate them,†he said.
The DG added that the Authority was also going to allow private parties to construct helipads and operate helicopters.
“Right now we don’t have hotels where foreign airlines’ crew could stay. We also lack other facilities that we are now going to build to attract foreign airlines,†he said.
“We are going to build airport cities in Karachi and Lahore at a cost of $4.5 billion, which will have hotels as well as recreational facilities, all with our own resources.â€ÂÂ
He said an airport in Islamabad was to be designed by world-renowned CPG. Rehmatullah said complexes were to be built in Karachi and Multan exclusively for handling and storage of cargo. In Karachi the 1,000 unutilised land of Karachi Airport would be utilised for this purpose. He said these complexes would also have refrigeration facilities.
The DG said they were now aiming to capture 10 per cent share of country’s total external trade from current 0.5 per cent only by providing more facilities to importers and exporters.
He said 50 per cent revenue should come from commercial and the rest from aeronautical. A very little percentage of revenue now comes from commercial sector, he said.
Source: The News
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Amaad Lone
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Open skies for Lahore and Islamabad will mean an end to PIA.
PIA will never be able to compete with the thrice daily Emirates flights, offering good connection to Europe and North America.
The government needs to privatize PIA before the death warrants are issued, so some airline can be sucked into buying the airline before open skies totally wipes PIA off the map.
PIA will never be able to compete with the thrice daily Emirates flights, offering good connection to Europe and North America.
The government needs to privatize PIA before the death warrants are issued, so some airline can be sucked into buying the airline before open skies totally wipes PIA off the map.
P.I.A
God's International Airline
God's International Airline
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Bukhari
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Draft Aviation Policy
Can anyone share the draft aviation policy that had been circulated by Ministry of Defence among stakeholders for comments.
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Re: Draft Aviation Policy
The draft is available at post #2 by abbas ali on this very page.Bukhari wrote:Can anyone share the draft aviation policy that had been circulated by Ministry of Defence among stakeholders for comments.
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Bukhari
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