ISLAMABAD: A sure-shot relief for Europe-bound Pakistani travellers as the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed its direct flights to Paris Friday, marking the end of a four-and-a-half-year-long suspension.
PIA’s first flight after the long gap was fully booked as it took off from Islamabad International Airport carrying 323 passengers to the French capital.
A Boeing 777 was used for the long-awaited flight. The PIA will operate two weekly flights to France.
PK-750 will land in Paris at 4:55 pm local time and then will depart Paris for Pakistan at 7:00 pm local time. The plane will return to Islamabad Airport at 6:55 am on Saturday morning.
Addressing a ceremony at the Islamabad Airport to mark the resumption of PIA flights to Europe, Minister for Defence and Aviation Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that “a statement” led to the closure of a profitable route for the PIA, causing loss of hundreds of billions of rupees. “Our government through sheer hard work got these flights resumed in shortest possible time,” he added.
The minister said that very soon flights to other European countries will start.
To celebrate the relaunch, PIA has decorated the aircraft with a model of the Eiffel Tower on its tail and the slogan “I Love Paris” on the nose. The Boeing 777 has been prepared in line with European Union aviation standards.
A PIA spokesman said the airline is now expanding its wings to Europe and will operate direct flights between Islamabad and Paris twice a week, on Fridays and Sundays. He said the new service has been well-received, with full bookings for the first two flights.
The spokesman insisted that this direct route to Paris addresses a long-standing demand from the Pakistani community in France and Pakistan, offering affordable fares and time savings.
The airline has introduced a wireless in-flight entertainment system on the route, allowing passengers to access entertainment on their own devices. Additionally, PIA has partnered with Air France to provide onward connections to 21 destinations across Europe and the UK via Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
The relaunch of PIA flights follows the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) decision to lift the ban on Pakistani airlines operating in EU countries. The ban, which has been in place for over four years, was lifted recently, enabling PIA to resume services in Europe and the UK.
