Serene Air grounded as PCAA suspends license

Airline license suspended, grounding all domestic and international flights until further notice

The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has suspended Serene Air’s Air Operator Certificate, grounding all domestic and international flights with immediate effect.

According to an official notification issued on Friday, Serene Air failed to meet the regulatory requirement of maintaining the minimum prescribed fleet size. At present, the airline has “zero serviceable aircraft available for operations,” making it unfit to sustain safe and reliable flights.

Under such circumstances, the aviation regulator stated, the airline cannot continue to operate in accordance with PCAA rules and regulations.

The order, signed by the Director of Flight Standards, directs Serene Air to surrender its AOC immediately for endorsement. The suspension effectively halts the airline’s entire schedule until further notice.

PCAA spokesperson Air Commodore (retd) Shahid Qadir confirmed the public announcement but gave no further detail. However, a senior PCAA official told The Express Tribune the airline was repeatedly warned to restore part of its fleet or face action. “They failed to comply, leaving us no choice but to suspend the AOC and issue a public notice so people are aware,” he said.

The airline, which is the first Chinese private investment in Pakistan’s aviation sector and the first private Pakistani airline to operate flights to Beijing, has left many passengers stranded in Saudi Arabia. Despite suspension, agents were still selling tickets, raising concerns over consumer protection, claimed the official.

The source added that Serene Air’s license may be reinstated if aircraft are restored to operational status and a formal request for revival is made. Further action may depend on the airline’s response.

In its defence, Serene Air acknowledged that one aircraft was grounded in Saudi Arabia after a bird strike, stranding passengers overseas. The airline, however, claims it requested special permission from PCAA to bring the aircraft back to Pakistan and repatriate affected travellers.

“Passengers are stuck in Saudi Arabia due to the grounded aircraft, and we have requested the CAA to allow us to bring them home,” a Serene Air official told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity. The airline added it intends to resume flights once its aircraft are airworthy again.

Pakistan’s aviation sector has faced similar setbacks before. Shaheen Air International, once the country’s second-largest airline, ceased operations in October 2018 after a financial collapse and unpaid dues of Rs1.5 billion to PCAA. The airline’s owners fled abroad to evade legal action, leaving employees unpaid and passengers stranded, exposing deep-rooted flaws in the aviation sector.

The country’s aviation sector now remains limited to Pakistan International Airlines, Airblue, and Fly Jinnah, which together serve major domestic routes and select international destinations.