PIA cuts fare on flights from Pakistan to China

BEIJING: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has further cut down its fare in order to facilitate students and other passengers travelling from Pakistan to China with immediate effect.

“Now, ex-Pakistan fare for students with taxes will be around Rs248,000, while ex-Pakistan fare for other passengers will be around RMB 10,000,” official sources said on Saturday.

Last month, the national flag carrier had offered a discount from 10 percent to 15 percent and an additional seven percent discount on surcharge for the students wishing to travel between Pakistan and China.

Currently, the PIA is operating two weekly flights on Islamabad-Chengdu-Islamabad and Islamabad-Xian-Beijing-Islamabad routes.

Pakistani students who wish to pursue their studies at the Chinese educational institutes and other passengers planning to travel to China can benefit from the new discount. A large number of Pakistani students enrolled in the Chinese universities could not return to China following the Covid-19 travel restrictions. They are planning to go back to China to join offline classes as the Chinese authorities have allowed them to return.

On June 20, a special PIA plane carried the first batch of Pakistani students from Islamabad to Xian. These students were stuck in their home country because of the travel restriction under the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tehsin Ahmad, a Pakistani student, said that the discount would greatly facilitate Pakistani students who are planning to return and start their offline education. He said a large number of students could now avail the offer of discounted fares and return to their respective universities in China.

Abdul Karim, a Pakistani living in the Chinese capital, also expressed pleasure over reduction offered by the PIA in its fare for travellers between Pakistan and China, adding: “Now people could more frequently travel between the two countries.