PIA's premier service set to take off

Airline is acquiring four new planes on wet lease which will allow it to operate flights on London’s Heathrow...

Pakistan's national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has announced to start a premier service for its passengers from August 14.

In order to launch the new service, the national flag carrier is acquiring four new planes on wet lease which will allow the airline to operate on London’s Heathrow Airport.

“The premium service will better facilitate our customers,” PIA chairman Azam Sehgal told British Broadcaster BBC during an interview.

Further, in order to address frequent grievances of passengers regarding the unprofessional attitude of the staff, the airline has decided to arrange a three-week training of its staff.

PIA's seventy-year-long descent

A special team of trainers has arrived in Karachi from Sri Lanka which will train the PIA staff and its cabin crew for three weeks. “We will also train our cabin crew members who directly deal with the passengers. For this purpose, foreign trainers have arrived in Karachi,” Sehgal said.

PIA has decided to acquire four Airbus A330 planes, without crew members, from the Sri Lankan Airlines and an official statement is likely to made in a couple of days, the BBC said while quoting sources.

The Airbus A330 planes are only two months old and the Sri Lankan airlines is reportedly leasing them out because of deficit. When contacted, the PIA spokesperson refused to comment on the matter.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz also tweeted photos of the new planes, claiming the national flag carrier will soon be at part with the world’s finest airlines.

New leased PIA planes. Day not far when PIA will be at par with the world's finest airlines IA. That's Nawaz Sharif! pic.twitter.com/OBubZiFt1r

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 25, 2016

Due to its deteriorating condition and poor service, news of PIA’s privatisation was making rounds in the national media, however, it seems that arrangements are being made to bring the national airline back on track.