Pakistan’s private regional carrier South Air has commenced scheduled flight operations from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, marking a significant addition to the country’s domestic aviation network, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on Thursday.

The airline has launched scheduled services on the Karachi-Turbat-Quetta and Karachi-Bahawalpur-Islamabad routes. The inaugural flights, Z8911 to Turbat and Z8942 to Bahawalpur, departed from Karachi on Thursday morning.

According to the PAA, the new services are expected to enhance domestic connectivity and provide passengers with improved travel options across the country.

Initially, South Air will operate one weekly flight on the Turbat route and three weekly flights on the Bahawalpur route.

The Karachi-based airline also plans to expand its network by introducing flights to Peshawar, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Gwadar in the near future.

Operating under the Tourism Promotion and Regional Integration (TPRI) Licence, the airline’s new services are expected to promote tourism, facilitate trade and strengthen regional integration by improving air connectivity across Pakistan.

The airline is launching its services with modern ATR 72-600 aircraft, which are widely used around the world for short- and medium-haul flights due to their fuel efficiency, operational effectiveness, and compliance with international safety standards.

Commenting on the commencement of domestic flights, South Air Chief Executive Officer Nishat Fatima on Wednesday said that the airline plans to expand its route network and fleet in the near future so that more cities across the country can benefit from modern air travel facilities.

 “The establishment of South Air is not merely the addition of a new airline, but a national effort to further strengthen Pakistan’s air connectivity. Our commitment is to provide every passenger with safe, punctual, and high-quality travel services, and to connect those regions with the national aviation network where air services have remained limited.”

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operates one weekly flight from Karachi to Turbat, while currently, no other flights operate directly from Karachi to Bahawalpur.

South Air successfully launched its first trial flight from Karachi to Gwadar on May 26.

Last month, South Air also expressed its aim to launch flights connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan and Chitral with the rest of the country.