PIA’s stranded planes set to return soon

Aircraft to be released upon $13 million payment each by PIA

KARACHI:

After a protracted two-year standoff at Jakarta airport, arising from a dispute between Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and the leasing company, one of the two idle airplanes is expected to return to Pakistan within the next two to three days. PIA sources confirm that a payment of $13 million has been made to secure the release of one Airbus A320, with a similar payment for the second aircraft paving the way for its imminent return to the PIA fleet.

Upon their arrival, the PIA fleet will see an expansion to a total of sixteen planes. In October, a high-level delegation, led by Aviation Secretary Saif Anjum, visited Indonesia to facilitate the repatriation of the grounded aircraft at Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The delegation included PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal (retd) Muhammad Amir Hayat, Chief Engineer Amir Ali, and East Management Deputy Engineer.

PIA had returned two leased Airbus A320 aircraft in September 2021, originally leased in 2012, resulting in substantial financial losses due to ongoing parking expenses. Maintenance costs for these aircraft amount to approximately $600,000 each month.

The airline had proposed covering additional expenses, including maintenance check-ups, to the leasing company, AirAsia, which had previously declined to sell the planes with registration numbers AP-BLY (msn 2926) and AP-BLZ (msn 2944).