Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has received the delivery of second Airbus A320 aircraft acquired on dry lease from Paris.
PIA Chief Executive Officer Air Marshal Arshad Malik instructed the departments concerned to complete the formalities on priority to bring the aircraft into operation, according to a statement issued by the national air carrier on Saturday.
He was of the view that the new version of fuel-efficient aircraft would improve services of the national carrier.
With the latest addition, the total number of Airbus A320 aircraft in PIA’s fleet has increased to 11, the statement added.
The Covid-19 pandemic and prevailing global aircraft industry crisis had slowed the process of inducting aircraft.
Dry lease aircraft became part of PIA fleet operation three weeks ago. This will be the third aircraft to be part of PIA fleet under the current administration.
PIA had issued a tender for the acquisition of aircraft on lease. These aircraft had been acquired on dry lease from the Bank of Utah, USA. Keeping in view the losses, PIA had planned to upgrade its fleet with new versions of fuel-efficient aircraft equipped with the latest technology.
The aircraft, with manufacturing year of 2017, has the capacity of 170 passengers.
“More aircraft will be added to PIA’s fleet early next year,” said a PIA spokesperson.
The national flag carrier management is endeavouring to revamp the ailing organisation.
PIA has recently embarked upon a digital transformation programme, under which the national carrier is modernising its business practices, ensuring resource competence, technology upgrade and collaboration with partners in line with new industry standards and practices.
The airline had achieved International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) New Distribution Capability (NDC) Level-4 certification that enabled the carrier to better connect, communicate and share rich content among industry partners and through distribution channels.
The achievement will enhance PIA’s capability of merchandising, retailing and product differentiation.
In August, a Canadian agency - Transport Canada - declared PIA’s operations on a par with international standards and withdrew its reservations about flight safety and operations.
An audit was conducted in the aftermath of flight authorisation suspension by the European Air Safety Agency (EASA) on all Pakistani operators as a consequence of pilots’ licences scandal.
Though interim permissions were granted to PIA to operate into Canadian territory, which it used to conduct repatriation operations during Covid, later these were converted into regular passenger flights, still continuing to this day.
“With the new validation, PIA can operate with much more ease and comfort.”
The premier airline safety audit and accreditation agency IOSA has issued the operator’s licence to PIA till July 2023.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2021.
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