Gandhara Airways
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| Founded | 31 January 1936 | ||||||
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| Hubs | Rhea International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Sky Rewards | ||||||
| Subsidiaries | |||||||
| Fleet size | 196 | ||||||
| Destinations | 130 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Rhea, Gandhara | ||||||
| Key people | Shahzada Dawood (Chairman & CEO) | ||||||
| Revenue |  1.025 trillion GAM (2021) | ||||||
| Operating income | 76.562 billion GAM (2021) | ||||||
| Employees | 30,273 (2021) | ||||||
Gandhara Airways (Gandhari: گاندارا هوايي شرکت, Gandhāra hawāyi shirkāt) is the flag carrier airline of Gandhara. Headquartered in Rhea, the airline operates domestic and international passenger and cargo services, mainly from its hub at Rhea International Airport.
History
Early years
On 31 January 1936, the company Airwork opened a new airline in Gandhara, named Gandhara Airwork. The ownership was split between the Gandhari Monetary Agency (52%), Airwork (40%), and private Gandhari investors (8%). Exclusivity of air transport operations was granted to the new company by the government, and the airline commenced operations in June 1936 with daily flights between Rhea and Port Eden, using de Havilland D.H.86 aircraft. The first of four Douglas DC-2 aircraft was delivered to the company in early 1937 and was put to use on the first foreign services within Outernatia. In 1938, Douglas DC-3 aircraft were phased in. The DC-3 had many exceptional qualities compared to other aircraft of its time, being a fast airplane with a good range that could operate from short runways. The DC-3 was easy to maintain and it could carry passengers in greater comfort.
Gandhara Airwork established its first routes to Internatia and Aurora in 1946, initially with a fleet of Douglas DC-3s and Douglas DC-4s. Lockheed Constellations and Douglas DC-6s for long-distance routes and Convair CV-240 aircraft for short-distance routes joined the airline's fleet in the late 1940s. In 1951, Gandhara Airwork was acquired by the Gandhari government. When the state of Gandhara became the sole shareholder, Gandhara Airwork was renamed to Gandhara Airways.
Jet age
With the introduction of the Sud Aviation Caravelle into the fleet for short- and medium-range routes in 1960, Gandhara Airways received its first jet airplanes. The airline was one of the few companies to purchase the Convair 990 Coronado, six aircraft were bought for medium- and long-range routes in 1962. Although the aircraft did not initially fulfill contractual specifications, they were popular among employees and customers for their stylish and comfortable cabins. The Convair 990 Coronados were replaced by Ilyushin Il-62 aircraft at the beginning of the 1970s.
The Boeing 747-100, the first wide-body airplane, was acquired in 1971. Like for many airlines, the Boeing 747 meant a revolution for Gandhara Airways. It enabled the carrier to expand its network very rapidly. More variants of the Boeing 747 were added to the fleet: the Boeing 747-200 in 1972, the Boeing 747SP in 1976, and the Boeing 747-400 in 1994. Also different freighter variants of the Boeing 747 were operated by Gandhara Airways throughout its history.
Another wide-body airplane, the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, was bought in 1972. The L-1011 TriStars became popular with the airline as well and remained in the fleet until 1996.
From 1978 throughout the 1980s, Gandhara Airways relied more on Soviet-build aircraft with the introduction of the Tupolev Tu-134 in 1978 and the Tupolev Tu-154 in 1982. These planes were used on medium-haul routes, while Ilyushin Il-62s were utilized on long-haul routes.
Post–Cold War era
In 1992, Gandhara Airways began operating the Airbus A310. It was the first airplane from Airbus to join the fleet. In the same year, Boeing 737 Classic aircraft were introduced, meant to replace aging Boeing 737-200s.
During the early 1990s, the demand for privatisation of the airline grew both within the company and across the Gandhari aviation industry. The demand from Gandhara Airways was based on the philosophy of minimum governance and the belief that privatisation would have a positive effect on operational efficiency, making the airline more competitive. Privatision of Gandhara Airways could also increase competition in the aviation market, which in turn would improve the quality of services and lower the ticket prices. The privatisation process of Gandhara Airways began in 1994, when the Gandhari government sold 20% of the shares, reducing its stake in the airline further to 36% in 1998.
The fall of 1994 saw the introduction of the Boeing 757, while the introduction of the Boeing 767-300ER followed in July 1995. Both aircraft would become a key part of the airline's medium- and long-haul network.
In 1996, Gandhara Airways took an initial 23,5% stake in the newly founded airline Air Nura, a low-cost carrier. After increasing its stake in Air Nura to 48% in 2001, Gandhara Airways purchased the remainder of the shares and assumed complete ownership in 2004. In the same year, the Gandhari government sold its remaining shares in the airline, completing the privatisation process.
Recent developments
In 2005, Gandhara Airways announced a fleet renewal program. Aircraft from the Airbus A320 family were ordered to meet the growing demand on short- and medium-haul routes. The year 2008 saw the introduction of the Boeing 737 Next Generation, when Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft joined the fleet. These aircraft were meant to replace older Boeing 737 Classic aircraft.
On 15 October 2008, it was announced that Gandhara Airways would acquire a 45% stake in Lost Islands Airways, the flag carrier airline of the Lost Islands. The purchase was finalized in June 2009. Gandhara Airways purchased the remainder of the shares in February 2017.
In January 2011, Gandhara Airways ordered the Sukhoi Superjet 100, taking delivery of the first aircraft in September 2013. It was the first Russian-made aircraft since the 1980s to join the fleet of Gandhara Airways. More Russian-made aircraft will follow as the airline made an order in June 2016 of 50 Irkut MC-21 aircraft, a medium-range airliner being developed by the United Aircraft Corporation. The introduction of the Irkut MC-21 into the fleet was planned for 2019, but due to delays in the development and production of the airliner, first deliveries were deferred to 2025.
In February 2019, the Gandhari government announced the purchase of 14.3% of the shares in Gandhara Airways. In 2020, the Boeing 747-400 was completely replaced by the Airbus A350-900, introduced in December 2018. The last 5 Boeing 747-400s were retired in October 2020, putting an end to nearly 50 years of Boeing 747 passenger operations.
Destinations
As of May 2023, Gandhara Airways serves 130 destinations: 27 domestic destinations, and 103 international destinations across Aurora, Internatia, and Outernatia.
Gandhara Airways has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
Fleet
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Gandhara Airways operates a fleet composed of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft from six aircraft families: the Airbus A320, the Airbus A330, the Airbus A350, the Boeing 737, the Boeing 757, and the Boeing 767.
As of November 2023, the Gandhara Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | |||||
| Airbus A320-200 | 31 | — | 12 | 138 | 150 | ||
| — | 166 | 166 | |||||
| Airbus A320neo | 13 | 12 | 12 | 138 | 150 | Deliveries until 2025. | |
| Airbus A321neo | 6 | 19 | 16 | 174 | 190 | Deliveries until 2025. To replace Boeing 757. | |
| Airbus A330-200 | 19 | — | 22 | 228 | 250 | ||
| Airbus A330-300 | 32 | — | 28 | 261 | 289 | ||
| 40 | 265 | 305 | |||||
| Airbus A350-900 | 23 | — | 28 | 298 | 326 | ||
| Boeing 737-800 | 25 | — | 12 | 150 | 162 | ||
| Boeing 757-200 | 17 | — | 22 | 161 | 183 | To be retired and replaced by Airbus A321neo. | |
| Boeing 757-300 | 2 | — | 22 | 194 | 216 | ||
| Boeing 767-300ER | 28 | — | 30 | 207 | 237 | ||
| Total | 196 | 31 | |||||
Cabin
Gandhara Airways offers three cabin classes, depending on the aircraft: Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy Class. Premium Economy was introduced in December 2018 with the addition of the Airbus A350-900 to the fleet. All other aircraft currently offer Business Class and Economy Class seats. Originally, the airline offered First Class seating on board its wide-body aircraft, but as Business Class seats evolved and became more private with a better level of service, First Class was removed. As the Airbus A350-900 offers Premium Economy and a new type of Business Class seats, there are plans within the airline to uniform the fleet and modernize the interior of other aircraft types.
Business Class
Gandhara Airways offers Business Class seats on all aircraft types. New Business Class seats were introduced on the Airbus A350 in December 2018, featuring lie-flat seats manufactured by Thompson Aero Seating, in a seating configuration of 1-2-1. These seats also feature Lantal air cushions, a four-way headrest, a storage shelf for personal belongings, a headphone hook, and a padded inner shell that absorbs noise. Each seat has direct aisle access and converts into a fully flat bed with a length of up to 78 inches (200 cm). The seats have a width of up to 21 inches (53 cm), with 18.5-inch personal in-flight entertainment monitors with video on demand, as well as in-seat power. The seats feature a USB port where passengers can charge mobile devices.
On Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, Business Class seating is in a 2-2-2 seating configuration. These seats have a pitch of 47 inches (120 cm), and are 20 inches (51 cm) wide. There are plans to reconfigure some Boeing 767 aircraft with the same Business Class seats that are found on the Airbus A350.
Business Class seating on Airbus A320 family, Boeing 737, and Boeing 757 aircraft is in a 2-2 abreast arrangement, with a seat pitch of 38 inches (97 cm) and a width of 21 inches (53 cm) on Airbus A320 family aircraft, a seat pitch of 36 inches (91 cm) and a width of 20 inches (51 cm) on Boeing 737 aircraft, and a seat pitch of 40 inches (100 cm) and a width of 21.5 inches (55 cm) on Boeing 757 aircraft. On Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, Business Class seating is also in a 2-2 configuration. These seats have a pitch of 38 inches (97 cm), and are 20 inches (51 cm) wide.
Premium Economy
Gandhara Airways offers Premium Economy seats on board Airbus A350 aircraft, with a pitch of 38 inches (97 cm) and a width of 19 inches (48 cm). These seats are equipped with 13.5-inch personal in-flight entertainment monitors with video on demand, a headphone jack, a USB port, and in-seat power. The Premium Economy seating is in a 2-4-2 configuration.
Economy Class
Economy Class seats have a pitch of 34 inches (86 cm) on Boeing 767 aircraft, 33 inches (84 cm) on Airbus A350 and Boeing 757-200 aircraft, and 32 inches (81 cm) on other aircraft types. The seats on wide-body aircraft are equipped with adjustable winged headrests and in-seat power outlets. HD personal televisions are installed on wide-body, Airbus A320neo, and Boeing 757 aircraft. The Economy Class seating is in a 3-3 configuration on Airbus A320 family, Boeing 737, and Boeing 757 aircraft, in a 3-3-3 configuration on Airbus A350 aircraft, in a 2-3-2 configuration on Boeing 767 aircraft, and in a 2-3 configuration on Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft.
Loyalty program
Sky Rewards is the frequent-flyer program of Gandhara Airways. Membership into the program is free. Within the Sky Rewards program, miles can be earned by taking flights with Gandhara Airways, Air Nura, and Lost Islands Airways. The amount of earned miles is determined by the ticket fare, class of service, and membership tier. There are four membership tiers: blue, silver, gold, and platinum. The membership tier depends on the number of flights being taken between 1 January and 31 December each year.
Miles can be redeemed for free tickets, upgrades to a more expensive seating class, extra baggage allowance, and lounge access. Miles can also be used at hotels, restaurants, car rentals, and several shops. Miles can be claimed up to six months after an eligible flight and they expire after two years without an eligible flight.