65% of Pakistan’s International Passengers Now Fly on Foreign Airlines

Foreign airlines now carry the majority of Pakistan international passengers, highlighting a major change in the country’s aviation market. Data for 2023-24 shows that foreign carriers transported 65.09 percent of travelers flying to and from Pakistan.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) now accounts for only 18.90 percent of international passengers. Other local carriers collectively hold 16.01 percent, meaning domestic airlines together serve about one-third of the market.

This marks a significant decline compared to 2006-07, when PIA alone carried 42.84 percent of international passengers, and other Pakistani airlines had 6.73 percent. At that time, foreign airlines transported just over half of international travelers.

Analysts say this shift indicates a steady rise of foreign carriers, while PIA’s market share continues to drop. Private Pakistani airlines have expanded, but their growth has not fully offset the decline in PIA’s operations.

Experts also warn that relying more on foreign airlines means a larger share of international ticket revenue leaves Pakistan. The domestic aviation sector faces challenges like limited fleet size, regulatory hurdles, financial issues, and operational reliability concerns.

The report analyzed international passenger traffic from 2006-07 to 2023-24, showing clear trends of declining domestic airline dominance and increasing foreign carrier presence.