After a hiatus of four and a half years, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed its flights to Paris, with flight PK-749 departing from Islamabad International Airport on Friday, ARY News reported. The flight carried 300 passengers, including the airline’s CEO.
The departure was marked by a modest ceremony attended by the Minister for Defense and Aviation, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, PIA’s Acting CEO Khurram Mushtaq, and the Secretary of Aviation.
PIA’s suspension in Europe followed a scandal involving the validity of pilots’ licenses, which came under scrutiny after a tragic aircraft accident that claimed 97 lives. In response, the European Aviation Safety Agency revoked the airline’s operating permit.
In a related development, PIA’s Acting CEO, Khurram Mushtaq, has announced plans to revive several grounded aircraft. Over the next six months, the airline aims to reactivate Boeing 777 and Airbus planes, increasing its operational fleet to 24 aircraft.
Currently, only 16 out of 34 aircraft in PIA’s fleet are operational. However, in just three weeks, the airline successfully restored three aircraft, including a Boeing 777, an Airbus 320, and an ATR, bringing the number of active planes to 19.
