Bhoja Air
Encyclopedia
Bhoja Air was an airline
based in Karachi
, Sindh
, Pakistan
. It operated a small domestic scheduled network and links domestic cities to destinations in the United Arab Emirates
. It ceased operations in 2000 due to financial difficulties and succumbed to numerous debts.
, Lahore
and Quetta
, with a dry lease Boeing 737-200 aircraft. The aircraft was registered with Pakistani registration and was the first private airline in Pakistan to operate with a Western manufactured aircraft.
Bhoja Air, a privately owned airline was owned by the Bhoja Group of Companies. Bhoja Air has its head office at Shahrah–e-Liaquat and corporate Offices at KDA society. Karachi
was one of its prime locations as the airline believed it was the heart of the gateway to Southeast Asia. It also had its headquarters in Karachi.
In 1996, it signed a deal with the handling agent group OGDENS
with complete ground handling equipment at Karachi. Their equipment was capable to handle Boeing 747s.
In the same year another Sister Company, Pakistan Aviators and Aviation located at Lahore International airport
was purchased along with a hotel for passenger stop overs.
January 24, 1998, was another festive day for the company when it commenced its first International flight from Karachi
to Dubai
. Later, Bhoja Air operated flights to the U.A.E from all major cities of Pakistan including having a solid domestic network.
However due to financial difficulties Bhoja Air suspended its operations in 2001, although its Airline Licence issued by CAA - Pakistan remained valid and it maintained a fully functional headquarter office in the city of Karachi and an operations and ramp office at Karachi airport.
Bhoja Air announced in November 2011, that it plans to restart operations in January 2012 to domestic sectors by inducting 4 x B737-200/300 aircraft in its fleet. Bhoja Air's founder Chairman Mr. M. Farouk Omar Bhoja has installed a new management which includes the ex-Managing Director of Shaheen Air Mr. M. Arshad Jalil as the Airline's Managing Director.
Bhoja Air's website has been updated with a new look and some background information regarding their launch plans. It states that they are looking to employ cabin crew and other staff to commence operations in January 2012. Initially they intend to operate on domestic sectors of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Multan and thereafter commence their international operations to Dubai - United Arab Emirates and beyond.
Pakistan
United Arab Emirates
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. It operated a small domestic scheduled network and links domestic cities to destinations in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. It ceased operations in 2000 due to financial difficulties and succumbed to numerous debts.
History
On 7 November 1993, Bhoja Air started operations. The airline started with services on domestic routes and inaugurating flights between KarachiKarachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
, with a dry lease Boeing 737-200 aircraft. The aircraft was registered with Pakistani registration and was the first private airline in Pakistan to operate with a Western manufactured aircraft.
Bhoja Air, a privately owned airline was owned by the Bhoja Group of Companies. Bhoja Air has its head office at Shahrah–e-Liaquat and corporate Offices at KDA society. Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
was one of its prime locations as the airline believed it was the heart of the gateway to Southeast Asia. It also had its headquarters in Karachi.
In 1996, it signed a deal with the handling agent group OGDENS
Ogdens
Ogdens is a small hamlet south of Hyde Common near Frogham in the New Forest area of Hampshire, England....
with complete ground handling equipment at Karachi. Their equipment was capable to handle Boeing 747s.
In the same year another Sister Company, Pakistan Aviators and Aviation located at Lahore International airport
Allama Iqbal International Airport
Allama Iqbal International Airport is the second-largest civil airport in Pakistan, serving Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. Originally known as Lahore International Airport, it was renamed in 2003 for Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal, the Islamic poet-philosopher who was a major advocate for the...
was purchased along with a hotel for passenger stop overs.
January 24, 1998, was another festive day for the company when it commenced its first International flight from Karachi
Jinnah International Airport
Jinnah International Airport is Pakistan's largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi, Pakistan, and its passenger terminal is also commonly known as the جناح ٹرمینل Jinnah Terminal...
to Dubai
Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai...
. Later, Bhoja Air operated flights to the U.A.E from all major cities of Pakistan including having a solid domestic network.
However due to financial difficulties Bhoja Air suspended its operations in 2001, although its Airline Licence issued by CAA - Pakistan remained valid and it maintained a fully functional headquarter office in the city of Karachi and an operations and ramp office at Karachi airport.
Bhoja Air announced in November 2011, that it plans to restart operations in January 2012 to domestic sectors by inducting 4 x B737-200/300 aircraft in its fleet. Bhoja Air's founder Chairman Mr. M. Farouk Omar Bhoja has installed a new management which includes the ex-Managing Director of Shaheen Air Mr. M. Arshad Jalil as the Airline's Managing Director.
Bhoja Air's website has been updated with a new look and some background information regarding their launch plans. It states that they are looking to employ cabin crew and other staff to commence operations in January 2012. Initially they intend to operate on domestic sectors of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Multan and thereafter commence their international operations to Dubai - United Arab Emirates and beyond.
Destinations
Bhoja air operated to:Pakistan
- Allama Iqbal International AirportAllama Iqbal International AirportAllama Iqbal International Airport is the second-largest civil airport in Pakistan, serving Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. Originally known as Lahore International Airport, it was renamed in 2003 for Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal, the Islamic poet-philosopher who was a major advocate for the...
, LahoreLahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... - Benazir Bhutto International AirportBenazir Bhutto International AirportBenazir Bhutto International Airport بینظیر بھٹّو بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈہ is the third-largest airport in Pakistan, serving the capital Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi in the province of Punjab...
, IslamabadIslamabadIslamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011... - Faisalabad International AirportFaisalabad International AirportFaisalabad International Airport is situated on Jhang Road, away from the city centre of Faisalabad, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Faisalabad, Jhang, Chiniot, Toba Tek Singh, Rabwah,...
, FaisalabadFaisalabadFaisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has... - Jinnah International AirportJinnah International AirportJinnah International Airport is Pakistan's largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi, Pakistan, and its passenger terminal is also commonly known as the جناح ٹرمینل Jinnah Terminal...
, KarachiKarachiKarachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... - Multan International AirportMultan International AirportMuhammad Bin Qasim International Airport is an airport situated 10 km away from the city centre of Multan in Punjab, Pakistan. It is not as large as the other airports in Pakistan, as it operates to cater mainly to the population of Multan, Vehari, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Sahiwal,...
, MultanMultanMultan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi... - Peshawar International AirportPeshawar International AirportPeshawar International Airport is an airport located in the city of Peshawar in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Located about a 10-minute drive from the centre of Peshawar, it is the fourth busiest airport in Pakistan...
, PeshawarPeshawarPeshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan.... - Quetta International AirportQuetta International AirportQuetta International Airport is located at Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, Pakistan. The airport is the fourth highest airport in Pakistan . It is second largest airport in south region of the country, however the largest for the province of Balochistan. It is situated 12 km...
, QuettaQuettais the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
United Arab Emirates
- Dubai International AirportDubai International AirportDubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai...
, DubaiDubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
Fleet
The Bhoja Air fleet comprised the following when it ceased operations in 2000;- 2 Boeing 737-200
- 7 Yakovlev Yak-42Yakovlev Yak-42The Yakovlev Yak-42 is a 100/120-seat three-engined mid-range passenger jet. It was designed as a replacement for several obsolete Aeroflot jets as a mid-range passenger jet...
External links
- Official Website of Bhoja Air
- Bhoja Air Photographs, Airliners.netAirliners.netAirliners.net is an aviation website founded by Johan Lundgren, Sweden, in 1997, evolving from his previous Pictures of Modern Airliners site started in 1994...
- Bhoja Air Photographs, Pakistaniaviation.net