Over 11,700 nationals returned home through 104 flights: PIA

ISLAMABAD: More than 11,700 nationals have been brought back to Pakistan through 104 special flights, said the spokesperson of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Friday.

The spokesperson said in a statement that the nationals returned home through PIA special flights operated in Saudi Arabia, Canada, France, Turkey, Japan, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and United Kingdom (UK).

The national flag-carrier is still continuing special flight operations to bring back more Pakistanis trapped in foreign countries following the suspension of flight operations due to coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier in the day, a special flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has departed for Australia.

The spokesperson of the national flag-carrier said that a special flight has departed for Melbourne for the first time in the history.

The aircraft, PK-8963, will repatriate stranded Pakistanis from Australia on April 26.

Read: PIA allowed to partially restore flight operations to UK

The national airline is consistently serving the nationals trapped in foreign countries due to suspension of the flight operations following the spread of coronavirus pandemic, said the spokesperson.

On April 22, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had decided to operate 53 special flights from next week to facilitate Pakistanis stranded abroad.

According to details, the flights would be operated for Algeria, Khartoum, Nairobi, Oman, Zurich, Amsterdam, Turkey and Jeddah to bring the Pakistani citizens.

The PIA asked the passengers who were unable to travel to Pakistan from these destinations due to suspension of flight operations amid COVID-19 pandemic to contact the airline’s call centre and provide their local numbers for coordination.

The numbers would be used to inform the passengers regarding booking procedures, flight suspension and others details pertaining to changes made in the flight operations.