South Air Plans DI Khan, Chitral Flights to Boost KP Connectivity

Private airline South Air has announced plans to expand its flight network into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by connecting Dera Ismail Khan and Chitral with other parts of Pakistan. The development was reported on Monday after South Air Chairman Kanwar Muhammad Tariq met KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to discuss the airline’s upcoming operations in the province.

According to the report, South Air intends to operate daily flights to Dera Ismail Khan and start regular air services to Chitral. The airline’s leadership presented the move as part of a wider plan to bring smaller and remote regions into the national aviation network, improving passenger movement and regional access.

The proposed routes are expected to include stronger links between Peshawar and major cities. South Air’s chairman said the airline also plans services from Peshawar to Karachi and Quetta, along with daily flights from Peshawar to Lahore, once its wider operational rollout begins across the country.

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi assured the airline of full support for its planned flights in KP. He said improved air connectivity would help promote tourism, business and commercial activity, especially in areas that have remained underserved by regular aviation facilities for years.

The announcement carries special significance for Dera Ismail Khan, where the airport has remained closed since 2015. Officials noted that rehabilitation work has been underway, including runway carpeting, while remaining tasks are expected to be completed to make the facility operational again.

The discussion also touched on the proposed Green Field International Airport, planned over more than 1,700 acres with capacity to handle over one million passengers annually. Such a project, if completed, could reshape air access for southern KP and neighbouring regions by providing a larger aviation platform.

South Air’s expansion comes shortly after its trial flight from Karachi to Gwadar, which marked an important step in strengthening air travel facilities in Balochistan’s coastal belt. That flight was linked to efforts around the New Gwadar International Airport and the wider push to improve connectivity under development-linked aviation plans.

For Pakistan, the proposed KP routes could have economic and social impact beyond routine travel. Better air links may support tourism in Chitral, improve access for business travellers, help patients and students reach major cities faster, and open new commercial opportunities for communities that currently depend heavily on long road journeys.

The next stage will depend on regulatory approvals, airport readiness, route scheduling and the airline’s operational capacity. If South Air follows through on its plan, Dera Ismail Khan and Chitral could become part of a renewed aviation network aimed at connecting Pakistan’s remote regions with national economic centres.