Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has successfully conducted a test flight of its previously grounded Boeing 777, marking a key step toward restoring its long-haul operational capacity. Read More: Jeddah-Bound flight of PIA develops a technical failure The aircraft, registered as AP-BGZ, had remained out of service since May 2025 due to the unavailability of essential spare parts. Following maintenance […]
PIA
Pakistani HC welcomes PIA flight at Heathrow Airport
New management of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has succeeded in restoring the flight operation for London after a long time. After the privatization, under the new management the first PIA flight PK785 landed at the Heathrow airport of London. Pakistani High Commissioner in London Dr. Muhammad Faisal welcomed the PIA flight at the Heathrow Airport. […]
New PIA owners rattled by rising jet fuel costs, worry about sustainability
Chairman Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Consortium Arif Habib on Sunday sounded the alarm over the sustainability of PIA operations in the wake of a recent 150 per cent hike in jet fuel rates, calling on the government to reverse the hike in prices. “PIA could be forced to shut down” if jet fuel prices continue […]
PIA to resume direct London flights after six-year gap
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is set to resume direct flights to London from March 29, 2026, marking the end of a six-year suspension of operations on one of its most significant international routes. Read More: PIA boosts UK operations with Lahore-London flights According to a PIA statement, the airline will operate four weekly non-stop flights from […]
PIA raises fuel surcharge as Gulf crisis drives up costs
Airlines in Pakistan, including Pakistan International Airlines, are raising fuel surcharges after war in the Gulf disrupted regional air routes and canceled about 300 flights from the country in recent days, airline officials and flight data show. PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan told Reuters that fuel costs have risen 34 per cent due to the Gulf […]
PIA officially handed to Arif Habib consortium under privatisation deal
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the “glory days” of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would return under new management, as the government formally signed transaction documents for the airline’s privatisation. Read More: Arif Habib consortium acquires stake in PIA privatization “PIA will reach new heights under the leadership of the Arif Habib Consortium. The airline […]
Govt halts HBFC privatisation, reopens Roosevelt Hotel deal
ISLAMABAD: The government has halted the ongoing privatisation of House Building Finance Company Limited (HBFC) and reopened the process for the Roosevelt Hotel in New York, following a meeting of the Privatisation Commission Board chaired by the Adviser on Privatisation. Read More: HBFCL privatisation may start afresh Officials said the board reviewed key state-owned assets and decided […]
PIA, ‘Hard Reality to Fly With’
For decades, Pakistan International Airlines carried a slogan that resonated beyond advertising: Great People to Fly With. It reflected a period when PIA’s pilots, engineers, and crew were respected across the aviation world, and when the airline itself symbolised competence and ambition. However, an airline survives not on people alone, but on systems, discipline, and […]
PIA deal highlights risks in SOE strategy of Pakistan
The recent privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has reignited debate over the future of state-owned enterprises (SOE) strategy, raising questions about valuation, fiscal relief and the broader direction of economic reform. While the national carrier was sold for Rs135 billion to the Arif Habib Consortium, the government is set to receive only Rs10.2bn, prompting […]
PIA Privatisation
For the lack of a better word, the entire journey sounds startling. Just over a year ago, Pakistan’s flag-carrier attracted only a single bid of Rs10?billion for a 60 per cent stake–against a government floor of Rs85?billion. Fast-forward to Tuesday, and the state has secured Rs 135?billion for 75% of the airline. For decades, talk […]