Flying between the UAE and Pakistan is set to become cheaper as the South Asian country’s low-cost carrier Fly Jinnah has announced the launch of operations to connect the two countries.
Fly Jinnah will launch double daily direct flights between Islamabad and Sharjah on February 17, giving an additional choice to Pakistani nationals in the UAE to choose from when flying to their home country.
When checked on Friday, the airline’s website showed Dh1,018 return airfare with departure from Sharjah to Islamabad on February 17 and return on February 27. This is around Dh100 comparatively cheaper than some of the other airlines operating on the same routes on those dates.
Since it’s a budget carrier, passengers can carry 10kg of hand baggage only. However, they will have to pay for additional baggage and meals.
This will increase competition on the South Asian route which has not been very well served, hence, airfares are on the higher side due to demand outpacing supply, especially during the peak seasons.
There are around 1.7 million Pakistani nationals living and working in the UAE. They are the second largest community in the UAE.
Fly Jinnah currently flies to five domestic destinations namely Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Quetta.
Currently, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Airblue, Dubai’s Emirates, Sharjah-based Air Arabia and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways operate direct flights between the UAE and Pakistan.
Fly Jinnah added two new Airbus A320 aircraft to its existing fleet, bringing the total number of aircraft to five. The aircraft is also equipped with “SkyTime”, a free in-flight streaming service that allows passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices.