PIA-Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-340 ER AP-BHW (msn 33779) LHR (SPA). Image: 927058.
PIA – Pakistan International Airlines is in financial trouble.
The cash-strapped flag carrier has been forced to ground 11 aircraft including three Boeing 777-200/300s (AP-BGL, AP-BHW and AP-BID), five Airbus A320s and three ATR aircraft.
The grounding is due to the lack of funds to secure spare parts to keep the aircraft operational.
PIA has 20 operational aircraft out of 31 total aircvraft.
Pakistan International Airlines-PIA will be privatized according to the Economic Times. The government of Pakistan has finally decided to privatize the state airline.
Pakistan agreed to fiscal discipline plans with the International Monetary FundĀ (IMF).
The airline has suspended its European flights since 2020.
PIA suspended the Islamabad – Kabul route today. Kam Air continues to operate on the route. PIA was the only foreign airline flying regularly to Kabul, Afghanistan
From Reuters:
“Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) suspended flights to the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Thursday after what it called heavy handed interference by Taliban authorities, including arbitrary rule changes and intimidation of staff.
The suspension took place as the Taliban government ordered the airline, the only international company operating regularly out of Kabul, to cut ticket prices to levels seen before the fall of the Western-backed Afghan government in August.”
First commercial flight lands after #Qatar runs chartered flights to #Kabul
NOTAM makes insurance cost impossible for commercial ops. #PIA says it's keen to resume regular services, but it's too soon to say how frequently flights b/w the two capitals would operate. #kabulairportpic.twitter.com/YxYeYLd66y
PIA-Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320-214 AP-BLD (msn 2274) (above) operating flight PK8303 from Lahore to Karachi with 99 passengers and eight crew members crashed today (May 22) on approach to Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. The aircraft crashed into a residential area.
The airliner had previously aborted the initial approach due to problems with the landing gear and was performing a go-around when the aircraft crashed.
There are reportedly survivors who were taken to local hospitals.
Skardu located at an altitude of close to 8000 feet is surrounded by high mountains making it a complicated approach to be flown only by Captain who are qualified for the airport and only in good visual weather and during daylight hours only.
Pakistan International is the only airline to operate into this airport with service to Islamabad which is the roundtrip flight JustPlanes filmed on the Boeing 737-300.
In 2012 a Just Planes team spent a week in Pakistan to capture the aircraft and some of the routes operated by PIA. The mission here was to give viewers a look at aviation and flight operations in the country. We’re happy to welcome Pakistan International Airlines, the 273rd airline in our seriews! You will be treated to flights on the older classic generation 737 and 747 to the newer generation 777 with few presentations but lots of visuals.
Highlights of the program include the ATR 42 flight to Gilgit, a hub for mountaineering expeditions in Northern Pakistan. Gilgit has a short runway (1600m) located at the edge of a slope. Skardu has a longer runway but at an altitude of over 8000 feet and surrounded by mountains the final approach is very complicated as you enter into the valley with sharp turns and obstacles on both sides. Our flight from Islamabad and back operates on the Boeing 737 classic 300 version. Last but not least is a chance to fly one of the last passenger 747 classic aircraft and one of the last cockpits manned by a Flight Engineer. Only 81 -300s were built with just about none left in passenger service today!
PIA-Pakistan International Airlines’ flight PK661 from Chitral to Islamabad, Pakistan with 47 crew members and passengers on board has crashed approximately 25 miles north of Islamabad on December 7, 2016. The flight was operated with the pictured ATR 42-500 AP-BHO (msn 663). The airframe was delivered new to PIA on May 15, 2007.
