Serene Air Check-In Time and Delay Rights in Pakistan: Counters Close 45 Minutes Before, 50% Pay for Denied Boarding

Short answer: Serene Air closes its check-in counter 45 minutes before a domestic flight and 90 minutes before an international flight, and asks you to reach the airport 4 hours before either. If the airline denies you boarding on an overbooked flight, it owes you 50 per cent of the ticket's face value on top of a refund or a new flight. If your flight is delayed more than 5 hours and you give up the journey, you get the unused fare back in full.

We read Serene Air's travel policy and passenger rights pages on sereneair.com on 19 October 2026. The airline flies inside Pakistan between Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta, and abroad to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Beijing. The rules below are the airline's own, and some of them, such as the 7 day rule for newborns and the ban on pets, are stricter than other carriers.

Counters close 45 minutes before a domestic flight

Serene Air says to report at least 4 hours before departure on every flight. The counter closes 45 minutes before a domestic departure and 90 minutes before an international one. Times on the ticket are local to the departure airport. Arrive after the counter closes and you are a no-show, with the no-show charges that follow.

Four hours is a long time for a domestic hop, and in practice most passengers arrive two hours ahead. But the 45 and 90 minute closures are the hard limits, and they are the numbers that decide whether you pay the no-show penalty. The Serene Air no-show rule is set out with the other charges in the airline's refund and change fees, and airport entry itself has its own queues at immigration, so for an international flight treat 4 hours as sensible rather than generous.

A booking made inside the last 3 hours before a domestic flight, or the last 4 hours before an international flight, must be paid immediately. For international travel the passport must be valid for at least 6 months, and the page notes this is tied to visit visa travel. Online check-in is not described on the policy page, so plan on the counter.

Newborns under 7 days and pets cannot fly

Serene Air does not carry a newborn under 7 days old on any flight. The number of infants on a booking cannot exceed the number of adults, and a booking holds up to 9 adults and children. Pets are not allowed on domestic or international flights. Blind or visually impaired passengers may travel only with an escort.

Pregnant passengers can fly domestic routes up to 32 weeks with a doctor's letter confirming fitness to fly, obtained within 2 days of departure, and they sign an indemnity bond. On international routes the airline wants a medical certificate up to 28 weeks, and between 28 and 32 weeks it decides case by case on IATA guidance and the passenger's history. For comparison, the PIA rule for pregnant passengers allows travel later into the pregnancy.

Unaccompanied minors are allowed on domestic flights but not on international ones. Insulin and injections can go in an ice box handed to the lead cabin crew at boarding. On domestic flights batteries, AC compressors, blood bottles, human organs and urine bags are not carried.

Denied boarding pays 50 per cent of the fare

If you checked in before the deadline and the airline still cannot board you because the flight is overbooked, Serene Air gives you the choice of rebooking, other transport to your destination, or a full refund of the unused ticket. On top of that, a passenger who did not volunteer gets compensation of 50 per cent of the ticket's face value, excluding taxes.

That 50 per cent is halved if the alternative flight gets you there no more than 4 hours late. The airline also provides an overnight hotel when the wait runs into the night. The same compensation level applies to a cancellation unless you were told at least 12 hours before departure, though the airline is not liable if it shows it took all reasonable measures to avoid the cancellation.

These are the airline's own commitments. The regulator's floor for every carrier is in the flight delay and cancellation compensation rules in Pakistan, and where the two differ you can rely on whichever is better for you.

A delay over 5 hours earns a full refund

On a long delay Serene Air provides refreshments or meals appropriate to the time of day, a way to make a call, and a hotel if you have to stay overnight. The trigger is a delay of more than 2 to 4 hours depending on the distance of the flight. If the delay passes 5 hours and you choose not to travel, the unused ticket is refunded in full with no charge.

Damages for a delay are capped at your proven loss or double the fare you paid, whichever is lower, on a domestic flight. On an international flight the cap is 4,150 Special Drawing Rights, the IMF unit the Montreal Convention uses, which is roughly Rs 1.5 million at October 2026 rates. The airline escapes liability if it shows it took all reasonable measures. So keep every receipt from a delayed day: a hotel you paid for yourself, a missed onward ticket, a taxi at 3 am.

Report a problem at the airport, then in writing

The passenger rights page does not set out a general complaints procedure with time limits. For baggage it is specific: file a Property Irregularity Report at the airport before leaving the arrival hall and the Baggage Claim Form within 14 days. For anything else the routes are the feedback form on the website, live chat, the call centre on 111 737 363, and customeraffairs@sereneair.com.

1. At the airport, ask the Serene Air ground staff for a written note of the delay or the denied boarding, with the flight number and time.
2. Keep your boarding pass, the booking reference and every receipt from that day.
3. Email customeraffairs@sereneair.com within a few days, stating what you want: refund, compensation or expenses.
4. If the airline does not answer or refuses, complain to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, which regulates consumer protection for air passengers.
5. For a lost bag, file the Baggage Claim Form within 14 days or the claim can be rejected.

Serene Air's baggage limits and lost bag process are set out in its baggage allowance and excess charges, and for the identity checks that happen before you even reach the counter the FIA document checks that get passengers offloaded are worth reading before an international trip.

Common questions

When does Serene Air check-in close?

45 minutes before a domestic flight and 90 minutes before an international flight. The airline asks passengers to report 4 hours before departure.

What does Serene Air pay if I am denied boarding?

50 per cent of the ticket's face value excluding taxes, plus rebooking or a full refund. The compensation is halved if the alternative flight arrives within 4 hours of the original.

Can a pregnant woman fly Serene Air?

Yes, up to 32 weeks on domestic flights with a doctor's letter dated within 2 days of travel and a signed indemnity. International travel needs a certificate up to 28 weeks and is case by case to 32 weeks.

Does Serene Air carry pets or newborns?

No pets on any flight. Newborns under 7 days old cannot travel. Infants cannot outnumber adults on a booking.

What do I get if my Serene Air flight is delayed 5 hours?

Meals, a phone call and a hotel if needed, and a full refund of the unused ticket if you decide not to travel.

Can a child fly alone on Serene Air?

Only on domestic flights. Unaccompanied minors are not accepted on international routes.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

We read Serene Air's travel policy at sereneair.com/policy_travel and its passenger rights page at sereneair.com/rights_pax on 19 October 2026. Every deadline, limit and compensation figure above comes from those two pages. The rupee value of 4,150 SDR is our own rough conversion and not the airline's figure. The pages do not set out a general complaints time limit, do not describe online check-in, and do not say how the 2 to 4 hour delay threshold is split by distance. The airline lists two call centre number formats and we did not call either.