Kang Pacific’s failure to launch

Ivan Gale

• Last Updated: September 24. 2008 4:44PM UAE / September 24. 2008 12:44PM GMT

Kang Pacific was once billed as the UAE's fifth national carrier, but has only flown one flight a year since its launch. Photo / Courtesy Kang Airways

What was once billed as the UAE’s fifth national carrier, Kang Pacific Airlines, has apparently shut down after arranging just one chartered flight this summer.

One year after its planned launch in October last year, the carrier has yet to begin its scheduled service at Fujairah Airport and has not obtained a UAE air operator’s certificate (AOC), according to aviation officials.

Named after its owner, Paul Kang, a British Indian businessman with a diverse resume but no experience in airline management, Kang Pacific proposed an unusual route of ferrying passengers from the British midlands to points in Asia by way of Fujairah airport.

In June a Philippine cargo airline, Transglobal Airways, flew one passenger flight between Fujairah and Clark International Airport in the Philippines on behalf of Kang Pacific. “That was the first and last flight,” said Khaled al Mazroui, the general manager of Fujairah International Airport.

“I don’t know what happened, maybe they faced some difficulties,” Mr al Mazroui said.

Saif al Suwaidi, the director general of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, confirmed that Mr Kang’s operation had not been licensed to set up a base within the UAE. Mr Kang’s mobile number is disconnected and no one answered at Kang Pacific’s customer service line.

igale@thenational.ae