The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has granted SereneAir temporary approval to resume limited flight operations. The permission, valid for two weeks, aims to bring back Pakistani passengers currently stranded in Saudi Arabia.
Earlier this month, the CAA suspended SereneAir’s[1] Air Operator Certificate after the airline failed to maintain any serviceable aircraft. This grounding halted all domestic and international flights. The airline’s fleet, which once included Boeing 737-800s and Airbus A330-200s, had gradually become non-operational due to maintenance and financial issues.
In response to growing public hardship, the CAA has now allowed the airline to operate special repatriation flights. However, this approval is strictly provisional. The airline must still restore its fleet and meet all regulatory standards before resuming regular operations.
SereneAir, which launched in 2017, was once seen as a promising private carrier. But recent setbacks reflect broader struggles in Pakistan’s aviation sector. Challenges[2] like aging fleets, regulatory pressure, and financial instability have already led to the collapse of airlines such as Shaheen Air.
For now, stranded Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia can finally return home, but SereneAir’s long-term future remains uncertain.
References
- ^ SereneAir’s (www.sereneair.com)
- ^ Challenges (www.techjuice.pk)