ISLAMABAD-UNS : Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Afghanistan’s Kam Air have signed an interline cooperation agreement establishing an integrated air route linking Kabul, Islamabad and Dammam, facilitating travel for passengers travelling from Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia and other destinations across the Middle East and Gulf region via Islamabad.
The agreement is expected to provide Afghan passengers with a more streamlined option for reaching key regional destinations by connecting Kam Air services from Kabul with onward PIA flights through Islamabad.
The first route established under the arrangement is Kabul–Islamabad–Dammam, providing an additional travel option for passengers travelling from Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. The route is particularly relevant to Afghan nationals and Afghan expatriates travelling to or working in the region.
Seamless Transit Through Islamabad
Under the interline arrangement, eligible passengers travelling onwards to Gulf destinations will be able to transit through Islamabad without completing Pakistani immigration formalities, provided they remain within the designated airside transit area of Islamabad International Airport throughout their connection.
This arrangement is intended to simplify the transit process for passengers who do not need to enter Pakistan during their journey and can remain within the airport’s airside facilities until boarding their onward flight.
The agreement also allows passengers to book their complete journey under a single reservation and ticket, rather than purchasing separate tickets for each sector of the journey.
This integrated booking arrangement can reduce the administrative burden associated with connecting flights and provide passengers with a more straightforward travel experience.
Baggage Transfer Arrangements
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan said the agreement would make transit through Islamabad more convenient for passengers.
According to the spokesperson, checked baggage arriving from Kabul will be transferred directly to the connecting PIA flight, meaning passengers will not have to collect their luggage in Islamabad and check it in again before continuing their journey.
The baggage arrangement is an important operational element of the interline partnership, as it removes one of the main complications normally associated with travelling on separately booked connecting flights.
Strategic Air Connectivity
The agreement establishes Islamabad as an additional transit point linking Afghanistan with destinations in the Gulf and wider Middle East.
For passengers travelling from Kabul, the arrangement provides a coordinated connection through Islamabad before continuing to Dammam. The initial route could therefore offer a more convenient alternative for passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
The partnership also provides a framework for connectivity between the two carriers, potentially supporting further links to other destinations in the Middle East and Gulf region, subject to the relevant operational and regulatory arrangements.
Key Operational Benefits
The principal features of the PIA–Kam Air interline arrangement include:
– An integrated Kabul–Islamabad–Dammam air route.
– Improved connectivity between Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia through Islamabad.
– Transit through Islamabad without Pakistani immigration clearance for eligible passengers who remain airside.
– A single reservation and ticket covering the connected journey.
– Direct transfer of checked baggage from the incoming Kabul flight to the onward PIA service, subject to the carriers’ baggage-handling arrangements.
– Reduced need for passengers to collect and re-check baggage during the connection.
– An additional travel option for Afghan nationals and expatriates travelling to Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
– A potential basis for expanded connectivity between Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern and Gulf destinations.
Analysis
The PIA–Kam Air agreement represents more than a simple commercial arrangement between two airlines. Operationally, it creates a coordinated transit mechanism linking Afghanistan with the Gulf through Pakistan while reducing several of the procedural difficulties normally associated with connecting travel.
The single-ticket arrangement is particularly significant because it brings the different sectors of the journey under one booking. Combined with through-transfer of checked baggage, this can make the connection considerably easier for passengers who would otherwise have to manage separate reservations and baggage procedures.
The airside transit provision is also important. By allowing eligible passengers to remain within the airport’s international transit area, the arrangement avoids the need for them to complete Pakistani immigration procedures where entry into Pakistan is not required.
For Islamabad, the agreement strengthens the airport’s role as a potential regional transit point between Central/South Asian markets and the Gulf. The initial Kabul–Islamabad–Dammam service provides a practical demonstration of this connectivity, particularly for passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
