ISLAMABAD:
After a long-awaited resumption of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to Europe, the national carrier took to the skies of Europe once again, with its first flight to Paris landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Friday.
The flight departed from Islamabad at 12:40 p.m., becoming the only carrier to offer a direct route to and from the European Union.
The inaugural flight, carrying 309 passengers, took off with great fanfare from Islamabad International Airport. Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, flanked by embassy staff and PIA officials, presided over the festivities, cutting a ceremonial ribbon and cake.
The minister hailed the occasion as “a historic day”, marking a new chapter for the airline. As a gesture of goodwill, Asif boarded the plane before takeoff to bid farewell to the passengers.
According to a social media post from the Pakistan Embassy in France, PIA will now operate direct flights between Islamabad and Paris twice a week, on Fridays and Sundays.
The direct flights are expected to strengthen air connectivity between Pakistan and France, thereby promoting people-to-people contacts and trade and tourism opportunities.
Speaking at the event, the Aviation Minister recalled the golden era of PIA, when it was a leader in global aviation. “There was a time when PIA helped other airlines find their feet. But unfortunately, we have become dependent on them to transport our passengers,” he lamented.
He deplored this period of decline, in particular the consequences of a parliamentary declaration which led to serious consequences, including the suspension of direct flights to Europe for more than four years.
“Our overseas Pakistanis were unable to travel directly to their home countries and were forced to take connecting flights via Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or other hubs, which increased the travel costs and inconveniences,” he said.
He termed the incident a “tragedy of lapses in responsibility” and hailed the resumption of flights to Paris as a step towards regaining the lost glory of PIA.
Asif thanked all stakeholders for their efforts to meet global aviation standards, paving the way for direct flights to France. He further announced plans to expand its operations in the UK and the US in the coming days, expressing confidence that PIA would regain its esteemed status.
The inaugural ceremony was also attended by PIA CEO Aamir Hayat, Secretary Aviation, Airport Authority DG Muhammad Shafi Dar and Airport Director Aftab Gilani.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation on the departure of PIA’s first flight to Paris following the restoration of the carrier’s flight operations to Europe.
The Prime Minister, in a statement, said that the restoration of PIA flights to Europe would make it easier for overseas Pakistanis as they would benefit from direct flights.
He noted that due to the suspension of flights, the national airline had to suffer huge losses amounting to billions of dollars and also lost its reputation.
“By the grace of Allah Almighty, the ruling government has restored the identity of national airlines,” the Prime Minister said.
After the resumption of flights to Europe, PIA will move towards further developments and progress, he added.
In this regard, the Prime Minister said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, relevant departments, their officers and staff deserve appreciation.
Plans underway to expand operations
Meanwhile, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan also celebrated the day as historic but stressed the need for a sustained effort to restore the airline’s erstwhile prestige.
He announced that although the initial schedule includes two weekly flights to Europe, plans were underway to expand operations in response to strong passenger demand.
Flights to other European destinations are being explored as part of PIA’s broader recovery strategy, he shared.
“This is my first time traveling with PIA,” said passenger Shumaila Rana, a 38-year-old teacher living in Germany. “I’m nervous and very anxious, but I hope it’s a good flight.”
Debt-ridden PIA was banned in June 2020 from flying to the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, a month after one of its Airbus A-320s plunged into a street in Karachi , killing nearly 100 people.
The disaster was blamed on human error by pilots and air traffic control, and was followed by allegations that nearly a third of pilots’ licenses were fake or dubious.
In 2016, a PIA plane caught fire after one of its two turboprops failed during a flight from the north of the country to Islamabad, killing more than 40 people.
In November, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced it had lifted the ban, but it is still banned from flying in the United Kingdom and the United States.
At the time, it said it had “restored sufficient confidence” in the oversight capabilities of the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan.
The airline flies to several cities across the country, including the mountainous north, as well as the Gulf and Southeast Asia.
PIA, which employs 7,000 people, has long been accused of being bloated and poorly managed, hobbled by unpaid bills, a poor safety record and regulatory problems.
The government has said it is committed to privatizing the debt-ridden airline and has been working to find a buyer.
Late last year, a deal fell through after a potential buyer reportedly offered a fraction of the asking price.
The government hopes the opening of European routes, which officials say will be followed by a similar announcement by the United Kingdom later this year, will boost its sales potential.
PIA posted losses of $270 million in 2023. Its liabilities totaled nearly $3 billion, or about five times the total value of its assets.
The same year, in the midst of a national economic crisis, dozens of domestic flights were canceled due to lack of financial means to fuel its planes.
PIA came into existence in 1955 when the government nationalized a loss-making commercial airline and grew rapidly until the 1990s.
(With contribution from AFP)
