Airblue
Private airline of Pakistan
title: "Airblue" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["airlines-of-pakistan", "airlines-established-in-2003", "companies-based-in-islamabad", "pakistani-brands", "pakistani-companies-established-in-2003"] description: "Private airline of Pakistan" topic_path: "geography/pakistan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airblue" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Private airline of Pakistan ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox airline"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| airline | Airblue |
| logo | Airblue Logo.svg |
| logo_size | 150px |
| image | Airblue Airbus A321-100 KvW.jpg |
| caption | Airblue Airbus A321-100 |
| IATA | PA (2012-present). ED (2003-2012) |
| ICAO | ABQ |
| callsign | PAKBLUE |
| founded | |
| commenced | |
| fleet_size | 12 |
| destinations | 22 |
| headquarters | Islamabad Stock Exchange Towers |
| Islamabad-44000, Pakistan | |
| key_people | Tariq Chaudhary (Founder & CEO) |
| bases | {{ubl |
| frequent_flyer | Blue Miles |
| subsidiaries | Airbahn (never started operations) |
| website | |
| :: |
| airline = Airblue | logo = Airblue Logo.svg | logo_size = 150px | image = Airblue Airbus A321-100 KvW.jpg | caption = Airblue Airbus A321-100 | IATA = PA (2012-present). ED (2003-2012) | ICAO = ABQ | callsign = PAKBLUE | founded = | commenced = | fleet_size = 12 | destinations = 22 | headquarters = Islamabad Stock Exchange Towers Islamabad-44000, Pakistan | key_people = Tariq Chaudhary (Founder & CEO) | bases = {{ubl|class=nowrap | Abu Dhabi | Dubai–International | Islamabad | Jeddah | Karachi | Lahore}} | hubs = | focus_cities = | frequent_flyer = Blue Miles | subsidiaries = Airbahn (never started operations) | lounge = | alliance = | num_employees = | website =
Airblue Limited (stylized as airblue) is a private Pakistani airline with its head office on the ground floor of the Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE) Towers in Islamabad, Pakistan. Airblue operates scheduled domestic and international flights, the latter to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. As of February 2024, the airline serves three countries and 17 routes.
History
The airline was established in 2003 by Tariq Chaudhary, a Pakistani-American IT professional. Airblue started operations on 18 June 2004 with three leased Airbus A320-200 aircraft serving Karachi–Lahore, and Karachi–Islamabad with three daily flights in each direction. The airline was inaugurated in 2004 by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Airbus_A320-214,_Airblue_AN2243785.jpg" caption="Airbus A320-200]] at [[Dubai International Airport"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/AIrBlue_A340-300_AP-EDE_IST_27-Nov-2012.jpg" caption="A now-retired Airblue [[Airbus A340-300]] taking off from [[Istanbul Atatürk Airport]] after maintenance."] ::
During the first year the airline became very popular, which allowed the airline to compete directly with the flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines and the two other private carriers on mostly domestic front, flying more than 400,000 passengers in the first year with a load factor of over 90%. The airline expanded its domestic network to include flights to Peshawar and Quetta. It also had to fly the routes known as socia economic routes or tertiary routes as part of the licence from Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Hence flights to Sukker and Nawabshah were added briefly as part of the tertiary routes under obligation.
On 14 August 2005 Airblue launched its first international flight from Karachi to Dubai. On June 4, 2007, Airblue launched its inaugural flight to Manchester using the Airbus A321. Due to range issue the Manchester route was initially routed through Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and later via Trabzon airport. These stops were only refueling stops where the plane landed, passengers disembarked and waited in the transit hall. The aircraft refueled and passengers boarded the plane again to continue their flight to destination.
Airblue changed its IATA code from ED to PA in June 2012, the new code originally belonged to the defunct and once iconic carrier Pan American World Airways. In 2011 the airline launched service to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport - a route that was soon terminated.
In June 2012, Airblue finalised an agreement to acquire one Airbus A320 and two leased A340-300s for existing and new international routes. An ATR 72-600 came to Pakistan on wetlease, but the plan was dropped and the leased ATR was returned only 1 week after operations began
The A340s joined the fleet in October 2012, enabling the airline to strengthen its Manchester route with nonstop flights as well as launch a second UK destination Birmingham in September 2013 and connect both stations with Lahore. The A340s later also flew to the Middle East. Technical issues related to the aircraft eventually led to them being phased out by January 2014; they had been leased for a five-year term. UK operations also ended with Birmingham being dropped after just three months' service and Manchester ending in January 2014.
On October 2024, AirBlue received its first Airbus A321Neo leased from GE Capital Aviation Services out of 2 A321Neos ordered. The airline became the first and only operator of an Airbus next-gen airplane in Pakistan.
In June 2025, AirBlue received clearance to operate flights to the UK alongside PIA. After receiving the TCO certificate, the airline hinted at beginning flights to Leeds Bradford Airport, which it had previously served. As of October 2025, there are no clear indications of UK operations beginning soon.
Destinations
Operational and Upcoming/Returning Destinations
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Ise_building2.png" caption="[[Islamabad Stock Exchange Tower]]s - Airblue's headquarters"] ::
Airblue serves the following destinations as of December 2025:
::data[format=table]
Former Destinations
Manchester and Istanbul aren’t in this list since Airblue has confirmed they will return there. ::data[format=table title="Former Airblue Destinations"]
Services
Cabin
| align = right | direction = vertical | image1 = Airbus A320-231, Airblue AN1210295.jpg | caption1 = The interior of an Airblue Airbus A320-200 | image2 = Airblue 321-200 - Economy Class View.jpg | caption2 = The interior of an Airblue Airbus A321-200 | width =
All aircraft in the fleet have a (3 + 3) layout in an all-economy cabin; and have overhead video screens. Airblue formerly had a business class section but dropped it due to exogenous economic factors.
eTicketing
Airblue was the first airline in Pakistan to introduce e-ticketing, wireless check-in, and self-check-in kiosk facilities. The airline also uses Sabre, a ticket distribution system.
Frequent-flyer program
The Airblue frequent flyer program is called "Blue Miles". Passengers start at the base level where sign-up is free. Once passengers earn enough miles, there are upgrades to the Blue Card followed by the Platinum Card. In May 2009, the airline allied with Faysal Bank to offer credit cards.
Lounges
Airblue inaugurated its premium lounge at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi in November 2008. It has since been closed. Named the Blue Lounge International, it was designed for business class passengers, credit card holders, and privileged customers. The lounge offered Internet facilities, cable television, newspapers and magazines, massage chairs, and a snack bar. It was located in the international terminal of the airport.
Cargo operations
Airblue has launched an e-Cargo service to cater to air freight markets of Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. According to a press release, e-Cargo will broaden the base of cargo and permit certified agents to book freight directly online opening the inventory through Web.
Fleet
Current fleet
, Airblue operates the following aircraft:
::data[format=table]
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passenger capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 5 | - | 180 | |
| Airbus A321-200 | 5 | - | 220 | |
| Airbus A321neo | 2 | - | 235 | |
| Airbus A330-200 | — | 3 | TBA | To be leased. |
| :: |
Former fleet
| align = center | direction = horizontal | width = 200 | image1 = AP-BIE A319-112 Air Blue (6971731184).jpg | caption1 = Airblue Airbus A319 taxing at Dubai International Airport on April 26, 2012. | image2 = AIrBlue_A340-300_AP-EDE_IST_27-Nov-2012.jpg | caption2 = A now-retired Airblue Airbus A340-300 taking off from Istanbul Atatürk Airport after maintenance. | image3 = Windrose Airlines Airbus A321-200 UR-WRH.jpg | caption3 = Airblue Airbus A321-200 leased from Windrose Airlines at Benazir Bhutto International Airport in June 2016. | total_width = | alt1 =
::data[format=table title=""]
| Aircraft | Introduced | Retired |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319-100 | 2008 | 2014 |
| Airbus A330-200 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Airbus A340-300 | 2012 | 2014 |
| ATR 72-600 | 2015 | 2015 |
| :: |
Accidents and incidents
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Airblueflight202crashaircraft.jpg" caption="access-date=June 24, 2010}}"] ::
- On 28 July 2010, Airblue Flight 202, flying a domestic route from Karachi to Islamabad with 146 passengers and 6 crew on board crashed into the Margalla Hills. The aircraft was on final approach to Benazir Bhutto International Airport during poor weather conditions when the aircraft impacted the Margalla Hills about 10 nm (18.52 km) north of the airport at an elevation of about 1000 ft above the city. Radio contact with the aircraft was lost at approx. 09:45 local time. All 152 passengers and crew on board the aircraft were killed in the crash. The aircraft involved was an Airbus A321-200 registered as AP-BJB.
- On 23 April 2019, an A320, registered AP-EDA and operating PA613 from Sharjah to Peshawar suffered a runway excursion on landing. The aircraft stopped beyond the end of the runway, but still on paved surface. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
Partnerships
In November 2017 Airblue extended its partnership with PepsiCo. Airblue had a contractual partnership with the Ukrainian Windrose Airlines for a three-year wet-lease of some Windrose aircraft. These aircraft carried the Windrose livery with Windrose crew and a mixture of Windrose and Airblue cabin crew. This wet-lease expired in 2016.
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Schmitz, Sebastian. "airblue: A New High Flyer from Pakistan". Air International, January 2006, Vol 70 No 1. pp. 56–58. ISSN 0306-5634.
References
- "[http://www.airblue.com/Corp/contacting_us.asp Contacting Us] {{Webarchive. link. (2010-07-29 ." Airblue. Retrieved on 28 July 2010. "Airblue Limited (Corporate Headquarters) Ground Floor, ISE Towers 55-B Jinnah Avenue Islamabad 111-247-258.")
- "AirBlue on ch-aviation".
- (2024-02-13). "Airblue Flights and Destinations - FlightConnections".
- "Pakistan's AirBlue gets ready to go".
- Schmitz 2006, p. 57.
- "{{usurped
- Schmitz 2006, p. 58.
- "AirBlue Begins Pakistan-UK Flights from June 1".
- (20 January 2015). "Pakistan's AirBlue cans ATR72 lease after one week".
- (14 October 2021). "Airblue receives its first A321neo".
- (24 September 2025). "Private Pakistani Airline Gets Approval for Direct Flights to UK".
- "Flight Schedule". airblue.
- "Airblue schedule".
- "Airblue ATR72 service advertisement".
- "Airblue Launches Karachi Gawadar Flights".
- (31 October 2025). "Airblue Confirms Weekly Flights to Major City in Saudi Arabia".
- "Airblue Adds Islamabad – Dammam Service From late-Nov 2025".
- (15 November 2025). "Airblue to launch Leeds Bradford – Islamabad route with Istanbul stopover".
- "Promotional Campaign Launched".
- "Airblue - Become a Certified Airblue eCargo Agent".
- (September 2025). "Global Airline Guide 2025 - Airblue".
- (8 February 2016). "Expanding fleet: Amid PIA crisis, private airlines start inducting 9 jets".
- (14 October 2021). "Airblue receives its first A321neo".
- "AirBlue wet-leases Ukrainian A330-200".
- (8 June 2017). "Air Blue Fares Offers and Booking | Traveleap".
- "Crash: AirBlue A321 near Islamabad on Jul 28th 2010".
- "Crash: AirBlue A321 near Islamabad on Jul 28th 2010, impacted mountainous [sic] terrain near the airport". The Aviation Herald.
- "Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map".
- "Airblue's partnership with Pepsi co.".
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