Shaheen Air International plans to sublease all six of A319s to Royal Jordanian Airline, with potential layoffs and route cuts on the horizon, as the Pakistani airline reevaluates its strategy.

“The environment we are currently operating in is not conducive for an airline our size, as the current policy of the government looks like its favoring Gulf airlines,” said Zohaib Hassan, the carrier's chief marketing officer.

Shaheen Air also recently had its central office sealed off by tax regulators over non-payment of US$7.4 million in Federal Excise Duty, which the airline immediately paid.