If you live in Karachi you know how public transport is a major drawback that daily commuters have to deal with. Gone are the days when we had a tram system and proper functioning bus routes.
Nowadays, you have to gauge the time a bus will arrive and then you still need to confirm with someone who knows the streets of Karachi like the back of their hand, to determine the exact route. And that’s not even considering the guessing game you have to play with the conductor on the daily in regards to the fare.
Fluctuating fares, unreliable routes and delays – that’s what the people of Karachi have to deal with on a daily bases. It’s surprising that a city with such a mass population still doesn’t have a proper transit system in place yet.
However, don’t fret. Airlift is here to save the day!
What Is Airlift & How Does It Work?
“An app-based daily pick/drop service for people in Lahore and Karachi – we provide the comfort of air-conditioned buses and charge much less than a rickshaw”, these are the claims made by Airlift on Facebook.
Their selection of routes leaves something to be desired. However, they’re adding new routes every week and you can view their current routes by logging in to the app.
The best part about Airlift is their fares. No matter how much hike there is on the cost of fuel, the fare of the ride will stay the same! With fixed routes, timings and prices and well-maintained (air-conditioned) mini-busses – what more could you ask for?!
Rave Reviews From Distressed Citizens?
Though I haven’t used Airlift yet (because they haven’t added a stop near my premises), a lot of my friends have.
Commuting in Karachi for approximately 50PKR (oneway) isn’t a revolutionary feat per se since there are local alternatives available. However, it does sound worth it if you’re willing to spend more for your comfort, safety, and punctuality.
A lot of Pakistanis are already huge supporters of their service. Here are some reviews from Airlifts’ Facebook page:
‘It’s such a revolutionary idea for the people, especially where public transport is not up to the mark! Highly recommended’
‘Economical, Amazing service, easy and better routes. Highly recommended.’
‘Two words “great service”‘
However, not everyone seems to be a huge fan. Below are a few suggestions people have made to improve the service:
‘Best 5 Star service but they need to improve on the below matters.
1) Enhance support person capacity since in peak hours which are Morning & Evening, I am hardly able to contact support.
2) For matters related to Payment & Adding Stop, they need to respond customer within few minutes as per industry standard but they are taking more than days to respond. ‘‘Very very Poor service. Driver was not even interested to pick me up as he was driving in High speed lane. I was standing on the pickup point, he glanced at me, I nodded for confirmation but still he drove away…’
‘Airlift is a very good service but a fair-weather friend. Not reliable on rainy days. Today’s rain has proved its tag statement “reliable ” wrong.’
Only time will tell if Airlift will be successful in capturing the market from ride-sharing beasts such as Careem and Uber. We wish them the best of luck because anything that helps improve the transport dilemma in Karachi – we’re already huge fans of!
