PIA 'expedites efforts to reactivate' grounded aircraft

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is accelerating its efforts to make two grounded aircraft operational ahead of Europe flights, ARY News reported on Thursday, citing sources.

As per details, the planes—a Boeing 777 and an Airbus A320—are being prepared for integration into active flight operations ahead of Europe flights.

According to PIA sources, the Boeing 777 is designated for European routes and Hajj operations. The aircraft had been grounded for over a year, but its two engines are set to arrive in Pakistan today.

The Boeing 777’s first operational flight is scheduled to depart for Paris on January 10.

With the reactivation of these two aircraft, PIA’s active fleet will expand to 18 planes, enabling the airline to enhance its operational capacity and service offerings.

Read more: Nine PIA aircraft grounded due to “spares shortage”

Last year, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) added two more aircraft to its operations fleet.

The PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan said in a press statement, “Despite the difficult economic conditions of the country, the government is acting for PIA’s progress, which is evident from the fact that the number of aircraft in its operational fleet continues to increase.”

He said a new Airbus-320 aircraft, which arrived in the last few days, had also been added to the schedule after completing all the details. “Yesterday, the new Airbus 320 took its first commercial flight as PK-309 from Islamabad to Karachi.”