Bhoja Air

Bhoja Air airline codes| |BHO|BHOJA 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 has 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 Karachi, 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 competition with the other private airlines and the national flag carrier (PIA), Bhoja Air was not able to keep up with finances and filed for bankruptcy in 2001.

Destinations

Bhoja air operated to:

Domestic Destinations

*Jinnah International Airport, Karachi
*Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore
*Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad
*Peshawar International Airport, Peshawar
*Multan International Airport, Multan

International Destinations

*Dubai International Airport, Dubai
*Abu Dhabi International Airport, Abu Dhabi
*Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah

Fleet

Bhoja Air fleet comprised of the following when it ceased operations in 2000;

* 2 Boeing 737-200
* 7 Yakovlev Yak-42

External links

* [http://www.bhojaair.com.pk/ Official Website of Bhoja Air]
* [http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?airlinesearch=Bhoja%20Air&distinct_entry=true Bhoja Air Photographs] , Airliners.net
* [http://www.pakistaniaviation.com/photobhoja.htm Bhoja Air Photographs] , Pakistaniaviation.net