Pakistan International Airlines to partially resume UK flight services
Pakistan International Airlines, hit by revelations of fake licences of some of its pilots, will partially resume its flights to the UK from August 14 using a hired Portuguese plane, according to a media report on Thursday.
The move came over a month after British authorities withdrew its permit to operate from three airports following the revelation of some PIA pilots holding "dubious" licences.
An agreement has been signed between Portugal’s airline and the national carrier, PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said.
The PIA would operate flights with an Airbus A330, having a seating capacity of more than 300 passengers, Dawn quoted him as saying.
“The PIA has hired a plane and crew from a European company to operate flights using PIA call sign and slots,” he said, adding: “Due to public demand, the national flag carrier is resuming its flights.”
The carrier will use the aircraft to resume services to London’s Heathrow Airport, Manchester and Birmingham.
He said that social distancing would be strictly observed in all the flights.
The spokesman said a PIA flight would depart for Islamabad from Manchester with 250 passengers on August 14.
On August 15, a PIA flight will depart from Islamabad for London.
He said that after the suspension of PIA flights to the UK, other airlines had increased fares and it was expected that after the resumption of PIA flights, fares of other airlines would also come down.
The UK's Civil Aviation Authority said on June 30 that it was withdrawing PIA's permit to operate from the three airports following the revelation of pilots holding "dubious" licences.
