PIA resumes flight operation for UK today

ISLAMABAD: On the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has partially resumed its UK flight operation from April 19 today (Sunday).

According to PIA spokesman, flights will be operated daily from 19 April to Lahore and Islamabad to London, Manchester and Birmingham. “The passengers could start their seats booking. We will adjust those passengers they already booked their seats,” the spokesman claimed.

The PIA spokesperson said that the permission was given after assurance that all safety measures will be implemented. The one-way discounted flight fare will be Rs110000 or £525. The main purpose of resuming flight operation was to bring back people to their homes, the spokesman said. He also said that government showed strong sincerity to passengers and cut down fares.

Furthermore, the national carrier will begin special flight operations to repatriate stranded Pakistanis in the UAE from Saturday onwards. As per details, the first special PIA flight from Dubai would repatriate up to 200 passengers to Islamabad. As the airline is finalising a plan to launch several special flights during the next week to repatriate stranded Pakistani nationals in the UAE.

Some 40,000 people had registered with Pakistan consulate in Dubai for repatriation including over 10,000 overseas Pakistanis who had been rendered jobless due to the coronavirus outbreak. The UK government on Friday announced the schedule for chartered flights run by Qatar Airways which will repatriate 2,500 British citizens stuck in Pakistan.