ISLAMABAD
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has opened flight booking for passengers travelling from Islamabad-Xian and Beijing-Islamabad routes.
In a statement, PIA Country Manager, Qadir Bux Sangi said that China Civil Aviation has approved PIA winter schedule for China and passengers can now buy tickets online or through travel agents for single or round trips from Pakistan to China and China to Pakistan.
He said that all passengers would have to strictly adhere to all conditions and restrictions imposed by the Chinese government in wake of the Covid-19 pandemic including nucleic tests and quarantine.
Sangi informed that the national flag carrier would be operating one flight per week on ISB-XIY-BJS-ISB, PK854 ISB-XIY on Saturdays and return PK855 BJS-ISB on Sundays. “All the passengers travelling from Pakistan to China will be carried from Pakistan to Xian and from Beijing Capital Airport to Pakistan while the Xian-Beijing leg will be operated as a ferry,” he added.
“He said that since there is a break in journey at the Xian-Beijing leg, therefore RT tickets will be of Pak-Xian and then Beijing-Pakistan therefore, the passengers will have to arrange for their own transportation from Xian to Beijing. Similarly ex China RT tickets will be of BJS-Pakistan and then Pakistan-Xian. Same needs to be clarified to passengers while issuing ticket”, he added. The PIA country manager said that efforts are being made to get permission for other routes including PIA flights on Islamabad-Xian-Islamabad section, adding, “If approval is granted by the Chinese government, the airfare for passengers travelling from Pakistan to China will be significantly reduced.”
Earlier on Friday, the European aviation watchdog, Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) expressed satisfaction with the safety standards of the PIA and lowered its safety hazard index to zero.
The PIA achieved the safety targets of the European aviation watchdog and the zero safety hazard index granted by the SAFA brought the national air carrier amongst the best global airlines having the safest operating records.
PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Arshad Malik said in a statement that the airline achieved a ‘perfect safety score’. He added that SAFA’s inspections of commercial aircraft landing in Europe, Canada and the Gulf are conducted on a regular basis and PIA achieved the target for the first time in history.
He praised the dedicated and sincere efforts of the national flag carrier that showed magnificent results and now the airline is now standing at zero ratio which is the perfect safety rating of SAFA. Arshad Malik said that it is a huge manifestation of adherence to world-class safety and airworthiness standards.
The PIA CEO said that the airline’s team has made the country proud. The airline achieved the safety ratings in October 20 audit after a one-year assessment of SAFA of PIA’s Boeing 777 and Airbus a320 aircraft.
