Karachi - Pakistan's popular airline in the private sector, AirBlue became the first among public and private sector airlines in South-Asia and second after Emirates in the region to introduce latest self check-in system at Karachi airport.

Inaugurated by Airport Manager, Yusuf Abbas at a colourful ceremony held at the domestic departure lounge at Jinnah International Terminal Tuesday afternoon, the self check-in system will facilitate the passengers carrying baggage with them, to get boarding card through the new screen touch system without reporting at the counter.

The ceremony was largely attended, among others, by Chief Operating Officer Airblue Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Director Commercial Syed Nasir Ali and senior airline and civil aviation officials.

The Airport Manager got his boarding card within 2 minutes after inserting the ticket into the system for scanning.

Later talking to newsmen, COO Airblue Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that four such machines will be installed at Karachi airport for domestic passengers within 2 weeks and later at other airports like Lahore and Islamabad.

He said that except for Emirates at Dubai airport, no other private or public sector airline has this modern facility of self check-in.

It will not only facilitate the passengers but also reduce load on our counters which are limited in number, he added.

Replying a question, he informed that required permission for UK- operation is still awaited while our request is in the process. He said we have also applied for operation to Jordan.

He described airblue's operation to Gwadar as successful and said the airline will start operating second flight a day in the month of August.

Shahid Khaqan said the airline, which ferried about half a million passengers on its first anniverary, touched the one million mark on its second anniversary and is likely to hit 1.50 to 1.75 lac passengers a month during the period for third anniversary, if it gets permission for UK operation.

To a question, he said that new self check-in system has been introduced after great research and with the use of totally indigenous technology.

Replying another query, COO Airblue said the airline is likely to be listed on Stock Exchange by next year. He told a questioner that at present our seat occupancy rate is 80 percent on an average, "but we don't measure it".

Airport Manager Yusuf Abbas said Karachi airport is facing problems because of power outages and our chilling plants suffering for the last couple of weeks.

He pointed out that for meeting our electricity requirements we need 12 KV load against which we are getting 9 KV from KESC which is insufficient to keep the chillers running.

Today KESC provided us required quantity of electricity by resorting to load-shedding in others areas, thus making our chillers functional. He said the CAA has now decided to look into own power generation plan for its new airports.

He congratulated AirBlue on its second annivesary and said that at every anniversary the airline introduced value added new system. He described it premier airline of the future and said we feel proud to have it on our airports.