Shaheen Air International
Pakistan · SHAHEEN AIR · Active
Airline Identity
History
Shaheen Air International was established in 1993 and grew into Pakistan's second-largest airline at its peak, operating domestic and regional international routes from its Karachi base with a leased Airbus A320-family fleet. The carrier suffered from chronic financial mismanagement and mounting unpaid dues to Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority and fuel suppliers through the mid-2010s, leading to a protracted licensing dispute with regulators. It suspended all operations in October 2018 and formally ceased business in early 2019 after failing to resolve its debts, with its owners leaving Pakistan.
Current Operations
Shaheen Air International does not operate. The airline suspended all flight operations on 8 October 2018 after accumulating roughly PKR 1.36 billion in debt to Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority and unpaid employee salaries; by January 2019 it confirmed it would not resume business, and its remaining aircraft (as few as two stored Airbus A320s) fell short of the minimum fleet required to hold a Pakistani passenger airline licence. Its owners subsequently left the country amid the unresolved debts, and no relaunch has materialized as of 2026.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.