Category Archives: PIA-Pakistan International Airlines

PIA struggles to remain independent, Pakistan may sell off the ailing carrier

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) may be headed towards a split-up or sell off to a Gulf carrier according to this report by Reuters of India. Mohammad Zubair, Pakistan’s privatization czar, told Reuters its financial advisers are now in talks with several airlines about taking over the cash-strapped national carrier. The government wants to sell off the carrier in the next 18 months and also intends to split the airline into two companies. Political opposition will be intense in Pakistan concerning the possible sale according the interview.

According to the report, 10 PIA aircraft are currently grounded due to a lack of spare parts!

Read the full story: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Fred Freketic/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-240 LR AP-BGY (msn 33781) painted in the current 2010 livery arrives in New York (JFK).

PIA:

PIA retires it last two Boeing 737-300s

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) retired its last two Boeing 737-300s (AP-BCD and AP-BCF) on June 17 according to The History of PIA.

PIA was the first Asian operator of Boeing 737-300. Initially a total of six Boeing 737-300s were delivered to PIA between May, 1985 and 1986. These Boeing 737s replaced its older Boeing 720Bs on PIA’s domestic and regional flights.

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines:

Taliban claim responsibility for the attack on Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, hijack attempt fails, 28 dead

Karachi’ Jinnah International Airport came under attack overnight from armed gunmen who were intent on hijacking an aircraft. The attack has been stopped and no aircraft were hijacked.

According to CNN, “the Taliban-claimed attack began on the country’s largest airport at Karachi, Pakistan on Sunday night (June 28), which left 28 dead — including 10 attackers — and 24 injured”.

According to CNN, “the gunmen targeted Terminal 1, the old terminal that had fallen out of regular use. This terminal is only ever used for people flying to and from pilgrimages, for private flights, or sometimes government flights.”

Read the full CNN report: CLICK HERE

According to Reuters, “The main goal of this attack was to damage the government, including by hijacking planes and destroying state installations,” said Shahidullah Shahid, a Taliban spokesman.

Parts of the airport terminal were on fire.

According to Reuters, “heavy smoke billowed into the sky well into Monday when officials announced the siege was over and that the airport would resume operations at 4 p.m. (1600) (local time) Monday (June 9).”

Read the full report from Reuters: CLICK HERE

Karachi Jinnah International Airport is the secondary hub of PIA-Pakistan International Airlines.

Jinnah International Airport (IATA: KHI, ICAO: OPKC) is Pakistan’s largest international and domestic airport. Located in Karachi, the largest city and capital of the Sindh province, it is named after Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan according to Wikipedia.

PIA to drop the Islamabad-Leeds/Bradford route on May 15

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) on May 15 will cancel the Islamabad-Leeds/Bradford twice-weekly Airbus A310 flight per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A310-325 AP-BGS (msn 689) approaches the runway at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines:

PIA’s Boeing 737-33A AP-BEH makes a wheels-up landing at Muscat today

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) had an incident today at Muscat, Oman. Boeing 737-33A AP-BEH (msn 25504) operating flight PK 259 from Sialkot, Pakistan to Muscat suffered a rough landing on its arrival. The left main gear collapsed on landing. There were no injuries to the 108 passengers and crew members on board.

Read the full story from Gulf News: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. AP-BEH is pictured arriving at Dubai in 2010 before it was repainted in the current 2010 livery.

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines:

PIA to get new leadership from retirees from the Pakistan Air Force

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) appears to be getting some new leaders in key leadership roles from retirees from the Pakistan Air Force according to this article by The Nation.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

PIA Slide Show: CLICK HERE

PIA and Boeing finalize an order for five additional Boeing 777-300 ERs

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-340 ER AP-BID (msn 33780) LHR (Antony J. Best) (new livery), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) and Boeing (Chicago) today announced a firm order for five 777-300 ER (extended range) airplanes. Valued at nearly $1.5 billion at list prices, the order also includes purchase rights to Pakistan International Airlines for five additional 777-300 ERs.

PIA Photo Gallery: CLICK HERE

PIA drops the Karachi-Colombo route

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 737-340 AP-BCD (msn 23297) DXB (Ole Simon), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) has dropped the twice-weekly Karachi-Colombo (Sri Lanka) route.

PIA Slide Show: CLICK HERE

PIA Boeing 747 aborts its takeoff today due to fumes in the cabin

PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) Boeing 747-367 AP-BFW (msn 23221) (Lahore-Garden of the Mughal) LHR (Antony J. Best), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) flight PK 3539 carrying 493 Hajj pilgrims and 15 crew members from Multan to Jeddah, aborted its takeoff due to fumes in the fuselage. There were no injuries. The fumes were blamed on a faulty hydraulic system.

Pakistan International is retiring its last remaining Boeing 747-200/300s in December.

Read the full story from News 24: CLICK HERE

PIA Slide Show: CLICK HERE

PIA to stop flying to New York and Chicago

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-240 ER AP-BGL (msn 33777) LHR (Wingnut), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

PIA-Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Turkish Airlines to establish Istanbul as a new regional hub. Turkish will fly the New York and Chicago routes for PIA under this new code-share agreement. PIA will continue to fly to other U.S. cities. Turkish Airlines in turn will establish a regional hub at Karachi and PIA will fly routes for Turkish. PIA is making this move to better compete against the Persian Gulf carriers.