Liberty Air (Pakistan) (Lahore International) plans to launch charter flights in 2019 and has no intention of entering the scheduled market due to heavy taxation of such activities in Pakistan, Pro Pakistani has reported.
"Liberty is now looking to obtain a license for a class II charter airline. It will be able to provide services to the much-needed executive and exclusive travellers in the country," Irfan Elahi, a former PIA - Pakistan International Airlines (PK, Islamabad International) CEO currently working as a consultant for Liberty Air said.
Elahi added that given the current taxes imposed on scheduled flights in Pakistan, it is nearly impossible to run such flights at a profit.
The start-up has recently secured its Regular Public Transport License (RPTL) for domestic services from the Pakistani government. It does not yet have an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC), however.
According to the ch-aviation airlines module, there are currently at least four business charter carriers active in Pakistan, namely Aircraft Sales & Services, KK Aviation, Lynx Aviation (Pakistan), and the market leader Princely Jets.
