PIA restores eight international routes in last six months

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has restored eight international routes in the last six months, ARY News reported citing details provided by the Aviation Ministry to the National Assembly.

The restored routes include flights from Islamabad to Paris, Turbat to Sharjah and Al Ain, Gwadar to Muscat, Quetta to Jeddah, Faisalabad to Jeddah and Madinah, and Lahore to Kuwait.

According to the Aviation Ministry, the Islamabad-Paris route was resumed after a gap of almost four and a half years and 5 months, with Boeing 777 aircraft operating the flights.

The Turbat-Sharjah route was restored after four months, while the Turbat-Al Ain route resumed operations after five months. ATR aircraft are being used for flights on these routes.

The Gwadar to Muscat route was restored after 13 months, with ATR aircraft operating the flights.

Similarly, the Quetta to Jeddah route resumed operations after 3 years and 4 months, with ATR aircraft being used for the flights. The Faisalabad-Jeddah and Faisalabad-Madinah routes were restored after three years and four months, with Airbus A320 aircraft operating the flights.

The Lahore-Kuwait route was restored after seven months, with Airbus A320 aircraft being used for the flights.

The Aviation Ministry stated that seven routes were suspended due to a shortage of aircraft, while the Islamabad-Paris route was restricted by the European Union.

Read More: PIA direct flights to UK to resume in Febraury: Khawaja Asif

Earlier on January 11, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan PIA is set to resume direct flights to the United Kingdom (UK) by the end of February 2025.

Speaking during ARY News programme “Aiteraz Hai”, Khawaja Asif stated that PIA will also launch flights to 19 European destinations, including Barcelona and Milan.

Additionally, the airline plans to start flights to the United States and Canada, he added. Asif said PIA’s value to increase with these developments, making it more attractive for privatization.

He said that PIA has been working to revive its operations and reputation after facing significant challenges in recent years.