PIA pilots, crew members get first dose of COVID vaccine

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is on the way to becoming the first airline in the region to have a 100 percent vaccinated crew after its aircrew has successfully received the first dose of COVID vaccine, ARY NEWS reported.

According to details, the pilots and air hostesses were administered the first dose of the COVID vaccine as they would receive their second dose by mid-May.

Over 400 pilots and 700 other aircrew members of the national flag carrier have so far received COVID jabs. The second phase of the vaccination for frontline PIA employees would begin on Friday.

Commenting on the drive, PIA CEO Arshad Malik said that they want passengers traveling via national flag carrier to move safely. “We are committed to saving our crew members and passengers from committing the deadly disease,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that besides vaccinating its crew members, the PIA is also involved in bringing vaccine dose for the countrymen from China.

On Thursday, one of three special airplanes of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying 300,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from China landed in Islamabad.

Three Boeing 777 PIA airplanes were sent to China by the Government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Health, yesterday, in a bid to accelerate the delivery of vaccines to combat the coronavirus epidemic.

As per details, the second plane of PIA with more doses will reach Pakistan today afternoon while the third flight is expected to land at 12:00 midnight.

Earlier on April 25, three PIA planes carrying a consignment of one million COVID-19 vaccine doses had landed in Islamabad as the country sees a sharp increase in new coronavirus cases.