KARACHI: The first flight of a modern Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, leased by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from Norse Atlantic Airways, has departed from London Heathrow Airport for Pakistan.
Preparations have been completed to give the aircraft a warm welcome upon its arrival in Islamabad at 5:00am on Sunday. The flight, operating as PK-786, will receive a traditional water cannon salute at the Islamabad International Airport.
The aircraft is approximately eight years old, having operated its first commercial flight in May 2018. It has a seating capacity of 358 passengers.
The aircraft has been leased to PIA under a wet lease agreement, meaning that its crew will be provided by Norse Atlantic Airways. Norse Atlantic will also be responsible for its maintenance and insurance.
The state-of-the-art aircraft is considered highly efficient in terms of fuel consumption and particularly suitable for long-haul flights.
Its addition is expected to help PIA expand its operations on routes between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, particularly from Islamabad and Lahore. As part of this expansion, PIA is increasing its weekly flights to London from four to seven. This marks the first time in Pakistan’s aviation history that PIA has incorporated a Boeing 787 Dreamliner into its commercial flight operations.
