South Air’s inaugural flights from Karachi to Quetta, via Turbat, and to Islamabad, via Bahawalpur, departed from Jinnah International Airport on Thursday morning, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said in a statement.

The authority added that the new carrier’s flight operations have “ further strengthened Pakistan’s domestic air connectivity”.

“The new services represent an important addition to the domestic flight network at Jinnah International Airport, providing passengers with enhanced travel options and improved connectivity.”

Initially, South Air will operate one weekly flight on the Karachi-Quetta route via Turbat and three weekly flights on the Karachi-Islamabad route via Bahawalpur.

The airline plans to expand its operations with additional flights from Karachi to Peshawar, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Gwadar, according to the PAA.

“These new air services are expected to promote tourism, facilitate trade and improve travel convenience by strengthening regional connectivity across Pakistan,” PAA said.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operates one weekly flight from Karachi to Turbat, while currently, no other flights operate directly from Karachi to Bahawalpur.

South Air successfully launched its first trial flight from Karachi to Gwadar on May 26.

According to a spokesperson for the private airline, improved connectivity between the Gwadar seaport and international airport could help transform the city into a modern commercial and transit hub where maritime and air transport complement each other.

Last month, South Air also expressed its aim to launch flights connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan and Chitral with the rest of the country.