KARACHI, March 21: An American woman, daughter of a US-based Pakistani businessman, was pronounced on Tuesday millionth passenger of Airblue at Jinnah Terminal of Qauid-i-Azam Airport. Samara Azam, 21, who was on a 10-day trip to Pakistan, was gobsmacked when she was told by the private sector airline’s chief operating officer, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that she had won to be the one millionth passenger as she reported to the Airblue’s counter to board an Islamabad-bound flight.

Mr Abbasi, flanked by Airblue’s director commercial Nasir Ali, presented a bouquet and other gifts to the lucky passenger, a student of International Relations at the University of California.

Later, talking to the newsmen, the CEO of Airblue said that arrangements were under way to start the airline’s operation to the United Kingdom. He said that the airline would acquire two more aircrafts within the next three months. “At present, we have six modern aircraft and are operating to seven destinations including one international flight to Dubai,” he said.

According to him, the Airblue has 30 per cent aviation market share with almost 100,000 passengers travelling on its system every month. “The next one millionth mark would be achieved in 10 or 11 months,” he added.