Not to be confused with Blue Air. Airblue IATA ED ICAO ABQ Callsign AIRBLUE Founded 2003 Hubs Jinnah International Airport Focus cities Allama Iqbal International Airport Benazir Bhutto International Airport Dubai International Airport Frequent-flyer program Blue Miles Airport lounge Blue Lounge International 1 Fleet size 6 Destinations 12 Headquarters Islamabad Stock Exchange Towers Islamabad, Pakistan Key people Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Website www.airblue.com Islamabad Stock Exchange Towers, the Airblue head office Airblue Limited (styled as airblue) is a private airline with its head office on the 12th floor of the Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE) Towers in Islamabad, Pakistan.2 It is Pakistan's second largest airline with over 30% share of the domestic market.3 Airblue operates scheduled flights operating 30 daily services linking four domestic destinations and international services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Muscat and Manchester. It carried 1.4 million passengers on domestic flights in the 2006–07 fiscal year.3 Its main base is Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. Contents 1 History 2 Destinations 2.1 New destinations 3 Services 3.1 Cabin 3.2 eTicketing 3.3 OnAir deal 3.4 Frequent flyer program 3.5 Lounges 3.6 Joint venture with JS Air 3.7 Cost cutting measures 3.8 Ground services 4 Cargo operations 5 Fleet 5.1 Orders and deliveries 6 Achievements and recognitions 7 Incidents and accidents 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links // History

The airline was established in 2003 and started operations on 18 June 2004 with 3 leased Airbus A320-200 aircraft serving Karachi-Lahore and Karachi-Islamabad with three daily flights in each direction. The airline was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan.citation needed During the first year the airline became very popular4, which allowed the airline to compete directly with the flag carrier PIA and the two other private carriers. This allowed the airline to expand into more cities in Pakistan including Peshawar, Quetta and Nawabshah. On 14 August 2005 (Pakistan's 58th Independence Day) Airblue launched its first international flight from Karachi to Dubai. On June 4, 2007, Airblue launched its inaugural flight to Manchester using the Airbus A321.5 Previously the airline's head office was on the ground floor of the Saudi Pak Building in Islamabad.6 Destinations Airblue serves the following destinations (at September 2010). 7. Four were suspended prior to 2008, all UK flights have a scheduled fuel stop at Trabzon, in Turkey, both ways, in the past Ankara was used for this. 8 [Hub] Hub [Focus City] Focus City [F] Terminated City Country IATA ICAO Airport Ref Notes Abu Dhabi  United Arab Emirates AUH OMAA Abu Dhabi International Airport 7 Dubai  United Arab Emirates DXB OMDB Dubai International Airport 7 Faisalabad  Pakistan LYP OPFA Faisalabad International Airport [F] 9 Gwadar  Pakistan GWD OPGD Gwadar International Airport [F] 10 Islamabad  Pakistan ISB OPRN Benazir Bhutto International Airport [Focus City] 7 Karachi  Pakistan KHI OPKC Jinnah International Airport [Hub] 7 Lahore  Pakistan LHE OPLA Allama Iqbal International Airport [Focus City] 7 Manchester  United Kingdom MAN EGCC Manchester Airport 7 Muscat  Oman MCT OOMS Muscat International Airport 7 Nawabshah  Pakistan WNS OPNH Nawabshah Airport [F] 11 Peshawar  Pakistan PEW OPPS Peshawar International Airport 7 Quetta  Pakistan UET OPQT Quetta International Airport [F] 9 Sharjah  United Arab Emirates SHJ OMSJ Sharjah International Airport 7 New destinations

Expansion plans include Bahrain, Bangkok, Birmingham, Colombo, Copenhagen, Delhi, Dhaka, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, London-Gatwick, Mumbai, Oslo and Singapore.12 Services Cabin Airblue currently operates a mixture of Airbus A321 and A319s. All aircraft are in a 3 by 3 all economy layout.13 There are several overhead screens located after several rows. The airline dropped its Business class section due to exogenous economic factors. The layout was 2 by 2 with inflight televisions and leather seating.14 eTicketing Karachi is the hub for most of Airblue's domestic operations Airblue was the first airline in Pakistan to introduce e-ticketing, wireless check-in and self check-in kiosk facilities. The airline also became a member of Sabre system that is used by over a hundred airlines to help it with ticket automation service. OnAir deal OnAir has announced an agreement with Airblue, Pakistan’s fastest growing airline, to launch Mobile OnAir voice and data services on up to 12 of its Airbus A320 aircraft beginning in 2009.15 Frequent flyer program Airblue frequent flyer program is called Blue Miles. Passengers are able to initially start on the base level where sign up is free. Once passenger earn enough miles, the are upgrades to the Blue Card followed by the Platinum Card. In May 2009, the airline formed an alliance with The Royal Bank of Scotland Limited (RBS) to launch its summer promotion on its credit cards.16 Lounges Airblue inaugrated its own premium lounge at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi in November 2008. Nicknamed, the Blue Lounge International, it was designed for business class passengers, credit card holders and privileged customers. The lounge offers a number of internet facilities, cable television, newspapers and magazines, massage chairs as well as a snack bar. It is located in the international terminal of the airport. Joint venture with JS Air

To comply with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations the airline started operating on socio-economic routes by flying to Nawabshah in central Sindh. To overcome the issue of non-compliance Airblue entered into a joint venture with start-up charter airline JS Air to operate flights on its behalf on socio-economic routes. This represented the first time in Pakistani aviation history that 2 air operators entered into a joint venture arrangement. The first destination under this agreement was the port city of Gwadar which was connected to the Airblue network on 17 June and was served twice daily, except Fridays, from Karachi. The flights were operated using JS Air's 19 seater Beech 1900C aircraft which are specifically suited to serving low yield 'commuter' destinations. Cost cutting measures To deal with the fuel price hike worldwide, Airblue is converting their fleet to all economy class. This will also be applied to their new aircraft, which will be delivered starting in 2009. They are also ending full meal services and replacing it with sandwiches and pastries. In 2006 Airblue did away with chinaware crockery service for meals in economy class to cut costs and weight, replacing it with plasticware as per normal industry practice. Dnata handles the majority of Airblue's ground services within Pakistan as well at most of its oversea operations Ground services Passengers may check-in between two to 48 hours prior to flight departure. This may be done over the counter or at the self-service kiosks. Currently self service kiosks are available at Jinnah International Airport and Allama Iqbal International Airport. Dnata the aviation services company handles the ground and passenger handling for the airline at all of the airports the airline operates from. Gate Gourmet provides food and beverage services to the airline. Cargo operations

Airblue have launched e-Cargo service to cater to air freight markets of Pakistan, UAE and UK.17 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 the web. Fleet A pair of Airbus A321s at Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Pakistan. (2007) As of December 2010, the Airblue fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 2 years. Airblue fleet Aircraft In Service Passengers Airbus A319-100 4 144 Airbus A320-200 1 1651 Airbus A321-200 1 195 Total 6 Orders and deliveries In November 2007, Airblue signed an agreement to purchase eight more A320 aircraft bringing the airline's total order up to 14. The deal is worth $520 million at catalogue prices. The aircraft will be configured to seat 165 passengers in all-economy configuration.18 Achievements and recognitions This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008) First airline in Pakistan and only the third carrier in the region behind Emirates and Royal Jordanian to introduce the state-of-the-art self-service check-in facilities at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. First private airline in Pakistan to initiate long-haul services on (Islamabad-Manchester) sector. First private airline within Pakistan to place an order for new aircraft. First airline in Pakistan to start e-ticketing. First airline in Pakistan to start self check in kiosks (Karachi) Airblue makes a fuel stop at Trabzon in Turkey when flying to and from Manchester. This route is the longest route operated by an Airbus A321 aircraft in the world, and the longest scheduled route operated by an Airbus narrowbody aircraft (excluding the Airbus A319LR).19 Incidents and accidents Wikinews has related news: Plane crash in Pakistani capital kills 152 On 28 July, 2010, Airblue Flight 202, an Airbus A321-231, crashed in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, killing all 146 passengers and 6 crew members.2021 The airliner was flying from Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, to Benazir Bhutto International Airport.22 Initial reports suggested that the flight crew lost contact with air traffic controllers whilst attempting to land in dense fog and heavy monsoon rain, however eyewitnsses claim there was only a light drizzle at the time and no fog.2324 The crash is the deadliest air accident to occur in Pakistan to date.25 See also Pakistan portal Aviation portal Companies portal List of airlines of Pakistan

References ^ Airblue launches Blue Lounge International ^ "Contacting Us." Airblue. Retrieved on 28 July 2010. "Airblue Limited (Corporate Headquarters) 12th Floor, ISE Towers 55-B Jinnah Avenue Islamabad 111-247-258." ^ a b Airblue now has 20% share of domestic traffic in Pakistan – looks to Scandinavia for further western expansion | anna.aero ^ "Pakistan’s popular private airline AirBlue to begin Flights to UK in May" Pakistan Times, Prinited Jan 28, 2007 ^ AirBlue Begins Pakistan-UK Flights from June 1 ^ "Contact airblue." Airblue. 1 January 2006. Retrieved on 28 July 2010. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Air Blue map ^ Ankara tech stop for MAN route ^ a b Former domestic route map ^ Airblue/JS Air Gwadar service ^ Private Airline Launches Nawabshah Flights ^ Airblue now has a 20% share of domestic traffic in Pakistan – and looks to Scandinavia for further Western expansion | anna.aero ^ Economy class section of Airblue A320s ^ The front section of Airblue's Business class cabin ^ OnAir wings Airblue deal ^ Promotional Campaign Launched ^ Airblue e-Cargo ^ Pakistan's Air Blue orders eight Airbus A320 aircraft ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International: p. 69. 2007-03-27.  ^ "Pakistan plane crashes with 152 on board". Agence France-Presse. 28 July 2010. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iU6WQOCuUqkw-rowryl1FQpTz63g. Retrieved 28 July 2010.  ^ "Pakistani plane with 152 aboard crashes". MSNBC. 28 July 2010. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38441455/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/. Retrieved 28 July 2010.  ^ "Passenger plane crashes outside Islamabad". The Daily Telegraph. 28 July 2010. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/7913795/Passenger-plane-crashes-outside-Islamabad.html. Retrieved 28 July 2010.  ^ Cassidy, Katie (28 July 2010). "Pakistan Plane Crash Near Islamabad: Airliner Said To Be Carrying More Than 150 People". Sky News. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Pakistan-Plane-Crash-Near-Islamabad-Airliner-Said-To-Be-Carrying-More-Than-150-People/Article/201007415672063. Retrieved 28 July 2010.  ^ "Jet carrying 152 crashes in Pakistan". Los Angeles Times. 28 July 2010. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-0728-pakistan-crash-20100728,0,7159422.story. Retrieved 28 July 2010.  ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A321-231 AP-BJB Islamabad-Benazir Bhutto International Airport (ISB)". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20100728-0. Retrieved 28 July 2010.  Further reading Airblue AirBlue to start flights to UK Airblue Introduce Self Check-in System Airblue celebrates one millionth passenger Airblue's Fleet Expansion ILFC News Release Airblue/Airbus Deal Press Release Airblue Landing in Sharja Lightning hits Airblue plane External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Airblue Official website v · d · eLists relating to aviation General Timeline of aviation · Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums Military Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Experimental aircraft · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) Accidents/incidents General · Commercial (airliners) · Military Records Airspeed · Altitude · Distance · Endurance · Most-produced aircraft v · d · eList of airlines of Pakistan Passenger airlines Airblue • Pakistan International Airlines • Shaheen Air Cargo airlines Pakistan International Cargo • Royal Airlines Cargo • Star Air • TCS Couriers • AST Pakistan Airways Charter companies Askari Aviation • ASSL • Jahangir Siddiqui Charter • JSA • Pakistan Aviators & Aviation • Princely Jets • Regency Air • Royal Airlines • Schon Air • Vision Air International Future airlines Air Indus • Deewan International Airlines • Sialkot Airways Defunct airlines Aero Asia International • Bhoja Air • Cresent Air Transport • Hajvairy Airlines • Orient Airways • Pak Airways • Pearl Air • Raji Airlines • Safe Air • Super Airways Other Airports • Civil Aviation Authority • List of airlines • List of defunct airlines • Shaheen Airport Services • Dnata • Aviaction • Transport