FAISALABAD (INP): President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Engineer Rizwan Ashraf has said that Emirates Airlines has given its consent to start three to four flights per week from Faisalabad provided these were found economically feasible.

Talking to a delegation of local businessmen who called on him here on Monday, Engr. Rizwan Ashraf said that direct international flights from Faisalabad stands on top of his agenda and it was in this respect that he had his first meeting as President FCCI with a delegation of Emirates Airlines.

“I requested the local management  of this Airlines to immediately take measures to start direct flights linking Faisalabad with other international destinations”, he added.  He said that management of Emirates Airlines was of the view that there was no technical hitch; however these flights should be economically feasible.

Rizwan Ashraf said that he has collected data of passenger load and forwarded it to Emirates Airlines enabling it to immediately process our request.

Continuing, he said that a spacious runway and modern airport terminal was also imperative to meet the future needs of this vibrant city of central Punjab. He said that a new airport could be developed on the pattern of Sialkot on the basis of Public, Private Partnership. Comparing Faisalabad and Sialkot, President FCCI said that Shaheen Air was successfully providing its services as 90% small shipments were dispatched by Air from Sialkot. On the other hand the shipments from Faisalabad were heavy and were feasible only by sea. However, we are in contact with government and various private airlines to carve out a viable solution to this problem, he concluded.