KARACHI
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) management officials gave a detailed briefing to Aviation Minister, Khawaja Saad Rafique on the airline’s Operations.
The briefing covered Hajj Operations, promotion of tourism in Pakistan, PIA’s flights to new destinations and airline”s fleet expansion plan among other operational matters. The Minister was apprised about the airline’s Hajj operation commencing from 31 May.
PIA will operate Hajj flights from eight major cities of Pakistan that are karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Multan, Peshawar and Quetta to Jeddah and Madinah. PIA will operate 297 Hajj flights till 13 August .
The Minister was informed about PIA’s operational fleet and the fleet expansion plan, whereby the airline is in the process to induct four A320 aircraft. The Minister was apprised that one A320 has already joined PIA fleet and will be part of the flight operations after completion of necessary formalities while another aircraft will join PIA fleet by end of this month.
Minister for Aviation instructed PIA officials to make operational the grounded aircraft which along with the induction of aircraft will further help in improving the airline’s flight operations. He also discussed the options of increasing flights to Nafaj and Damascus.
The Minister was also informed about PIA sucessful flight operations to Baku and plans for increasing the flight frequencies to Baku and also on domestic destinations such as 18 weekly flights to Skardu, 24 flight per week for Gilgit and two flights per week to Chitral from Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore connecting other cities of Pakistan.
Khawaja Saad Rafique instructed PIA officials to further improve its cargo business and also to improve the business class facilities for passengers including upgradation of PIA Business Class lounges at airports.
