Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has completed the inspection of its first Boeing 787 aircraft for operations in Pakistan and received clearance to fly it, according to sources. The move was described as an important milestone for the national airline.
Sources said a delegation led by Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Nader Shafi Dar, inspected the aircraft at Oslo Airport and granted permission for its operation. The aircraft’s first flight, PK-786, is scheduled to leave London for Islamabad on October 31, arriving with passengers on November 1. The Boeing 787 has a seating capacity of 358 passengers, and PIA will also introduce a new uniform on October 31.
Two more Boeing 787 aircraft due for inspection
The second aircraft will be inspected at Oslo Airport on Monday, while the third is scheduled for inspection at London Airport on November 20. Sources said the three aircraft are expected to strengthen PIA’s international network and improve services for passengers. The remaining aircraft will be sent to London once their inspections are complete.
Riyadh flights disrupted after deadly airport attack
PIA operations to Riyadh, the Saudi capital, have been completely suspended. A Fly Jinnah flight on the Lahore–Karachi–Riyadh route was cancelled, and Flynas cancelled its Karachi–Madinah and Karachi–Riyadh flights due to technical reasons. Flights to Madinah and Jeddah operated by other airlines from Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Islamabad are continuing as scheduled.
The Pakistan Airports Authority said special facilitation counters have been set up at all major airports across the country to assist affected passengers. The disruption follows an attack on Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday, which Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300. The attack was described as a Houthi attack, and as the deadliest in the kingdom in more than a decade.
