Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed direct flights to Paris on Friday after a suspension of more than four years.
The first flight, PK-749, took off from Islamabad International Airport (IIAP) at 12:10 p.m. on Friday, aboard a Boeing 777 (AP-BGK). The flight carried 330 passengers and 14 crew members.
Several senior officials, including Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat, and the directors general of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Airports Authority of Pakistan, attended the inaugural flight ceremony.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Khawaja Asif praised the efforts of PIA and civil aviation in making European flights possible. He expressed gratitude to European Union aviation officials for assessing Pakistan’s standards.
The minister acknowledged that PIA had suffered significant losses, running into hundreds of billions over the past four and a half years, and currently had a debt of Rs 800 billion, while profitable routes remained closed .
Khawaja Asif also criticized the former aviation minister’s statement, saying it had caused considerable damage to the aviation sector. He pointed out that over the past four and a half years, Pakistanis have been forced to travel abroad at high costs.
He expressed pride in Pakistan’s ability to meet international standards, announcing that PIA would soon begin flight operations to the United Kingdom.
Note that the airline launched the line with a special livery, with a model of the Eiffel Tower on the tail and the slogan “I Love Paris” on the nose. The Boeing 777 has been renovated to meet European Union aeronautical standards.
PIA plans to operate direct flights between Islamabad and Paris twice a week, on Fridays and Sundays. The airline reported strong demand, with the first two flights already sold out. This route is expected to continue to generate significant demand, particularly from the Pakistani community in France.
To enhance the in-flight experience, PIA has introduced a wireless entertainment system, allowing passengers to use their own devices to access media.
The resumption of the Islamabad-Paris route follows the recent decision by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to lift the ban on Pakistani airlines flying to EU countries. The ban was in place for more than four years but was lifted, allowing PIA to resume services to Europe and the United Kingdom.
