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Aero Asia resumes flights
ISHFAQULLAH SHAWL
RAWALPINDI (July 15 2006): The UK-based Regal Group has taken over Aero Asia airline with an initial investment of Rs 1 billion, and restarted its operation from Friday after suspension of service for about three months.
Its first flight arrived at Islamabad airport on Friday from Karachi with 127 passengers, including the senior management of the Regal Group.
"We have bought this airline, and to make it an effective and respectable airline would be a challenge for us", said Muhammad Younis Chaudhary, Chief Executive of Aero Asia and Haider Jalal, Deputy Managing Director of the airline, while talking to reporters at the air port.
The company has purchased the brand name, and after heavy investment in the shape of aircraft, better services and human resource development and incentives to employees, the Group would make it viable, they said, adding that at present it has four aircraft, which would be replaced within three months with five modern fuel-efficient aircraft.
"We are negotiating with different companies for purchasing Airbus 323 and 321, besides Boeing 777, 800 series aircraft," Haider said.
He said that at present the airline would emphasise on domestic operation and Middle East, while in the next six months it would enter UK, Europe and Far East as well.
The Group acquired 100 percent control of the airline from Tabani Group on June 10, the CE of airline said.
The Regal Group also reached an agreement with Civil Aviation Authority on all outstanding issues relating to previous management, he added.
The Group has already invested in a number of projects in Pakistan ranging from food processing, truck assembly, wind power and phosphate industry.