Pakistan International Airlines is about to welcome its first-ever Boeing 787 Dreamliners, following a lease agreement with Norwegian carrier Norse Atlantic Airways for two of the wide-body jets.
Under the arrangement, the two Boeing 787-9 aircraft are expected to enter PIA service in November through an ACMI deal, under which Norse Atlantic provides the planes together with crew, maintenance and insurance. The aircraft will be put to work on long-haul routes linking Pakistan with the United Kingdom, adding much-needed seats on one of the airline’s most important international markets.
PIA chief executive Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat described Britain as a key market for the national carrier, saying the deal would widen capacity and give passengers greater choice on routes where demand for direct flights remains strong. He pointed out that the Dreamliners would be the first aircraft of their type to operate in Pakistan, expressing confidence they would deliver the premium standard of travel passengers expect from the airline.
Norse Atlantic chief executive Eivind Roald said the partnership supports his airline’s strategy of redeploying aircraft through ACMI contracts, a shift prompted by rising fuel costs and a pullback from low-cost transatlantic flying. He added that the agreement would improve travel options for the large Pakistani community in Britain and could become the starting point of a wider strategic partnership between the two airlines.
The announcement comes days after reports that Pakistan’s commerce ministry is weighing aircraft leasing and fleet modernisation options involving Airbus and Rolls-Royce, a matter discussed during a recent meeting in Islamabad between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott.
