Serene Air grounded as PCAA suspends license | The Express Tribune
Key Takeaways
- PCAA suspended Serene Air's Air Operator Certificate (AOC) immediately due to failure to meet minimum fleet size requirements.
- Serene Air currently has zero serviceable aircraft, rendering it unable to sustain safe operations.
- The suspension has grounded all of Serene Air's domestic and international flights, stranding passengers, including some in Saudi Arabia.
- The airline acknowledged one aircraft was grounded in Saudi Arabia following a bird strike incident.
- The AOC may be reinstated if Serene Air restores its operational aircraft and submits a formal revival request.
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has suspended Serene Air’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC) with immediate effect, grounding all its domestic and international flights because the airline failed to maintain the minimum prescribed fleet size. The regulator noted that Serene Air currently has "zero serviceable aircraft available for operations," making it unfit to operate safely according to PCAA rules. This action has left many passengers stranded, particularly in Saudi Arabia, following an incident where an aircraft was grounded after a bird strike. Despite the suspension, concerns were raised as agents were reportedly still selling tickets, highlighting consumer protection issues. Serene Air acknowledged the grounding in Saudi Arabia and stated it requested special permission from the PCAA to return the aircraft and repatriate affected travelers. The airline intends to resume operations once its aircraft are airworthy, and the PCAA indicated the AOC could be reinstated upon fleet restoration and a formal revival request. This incident echoes past troubles in Pakistan's aviation sector, such as the collapse of Shaheen Air International in 2018.
