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Pakistan International Airlines

Pakistan International Airlines
پاکستان انٹرنیشنل ایئر لائنز
pākistān antarnaishnal air lainz
IATA ICAO Call sign
PK PIA PAKISTAN
Founded29 October 1946 (1946-10-29)
(as Orient Airways)
Commenced operations11 March 1955 (1955-03-11)
(as Pakistan International Airlines)
Frequent-flyer programAwards Plus
SubsidiariesRoosevelt Hotel (New York)
Fleet size31
Destinations60
Parent companyAviation Division, GoP[1]
Traded asPSX: PIAHCLA
HeadquartersJinnah International Airport, Karachi
Key people
RevenueIncrease Rs. 165 billion (US$570 million) (2024)[2]
Operating incomeIncrease Rs. -112 billion (US$−390 million) (2024)[2]
Net incomeIncrease Rs. 137 billion (US$470 million) (2024)[2]
Total assetsIncrease Rs. 160 billion (US$550 million) (2024)[2]
Employees7,000[3] (2024)
Websitewww.piac.com.pk

Pakistan International Airlines (Urdu: پاکستان انٹرنیشنل ایئر لائنز; abbreviated PIA, Urdu: پی‌آئی‌اے) is an international airline which is the government-owned flag carrier of Pakistan. Its primary hub is Karachi's Jinnah International Airport, while Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and Islamabad International Airport serve as secondary hubs.

PIA was founded on 29 October 1946 by Mirza Ahmad Ispahani and Adamjee Haji Dawood as Orient Airways, and was initially based in Calcutta, British India, before shifting operations to the newly independent state of Pakistan in 1947. Orient Airways was nationalised to form the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC).[4] The new airline commenced international services in 1955 to London, via Cairo and Rome.[5] In 1964 it became the first non-Communist airline to fly to China.[6] The airline assisted in the establishment of Emirates in 1985.[7] In 2004, PIA became the launch customer of the Boeing 777-200LR.[8][9] On 10 November 2005, PIA used the Boeing 777-200LR to complete the world's longest nonstop flight by a commercial airliner. This flight lasted 22 hours and 22 minutes on the eastbound route between Hong Kong and London.[10][11]

PIA is Pakistan's largest airline and operates a fleet of 31 aircraft. The airline operates a frequent flyer program, Awards +Plus. It is not part of any airline alliance. The airline operates nearly 50 flights daily, servicing 20 domestic destinations and 27 international destinations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. It is under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation.

In addition to commercial flight operations, PIA also owns the Sofitel Paris, The Scribe Hotel in Paris,[12] and The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. The Roosevelt is now used as a homeless shelter.[13]

The Government of Pakistan's report in 2020 emphasized that after Air Marshals Nur Khan and Asghar Khan—whose tenures were regarded in aviation circles as the "Golden Age of PIA"—departed from their leadership roles, the airline began a downward trajectory, suffering billions in losses. Its assets declined, disciplinary issues escalated, and unions indirectly took control of management. Aircraft capable of flying were grounded, and equipment that could have been repaired was neglected.[14][15]

On 30 June 2020, PIA was banned from flying in European airspace initially for six months, starting on 1 July 2020, and then indefinitely after EASA determined that the airline was not capable of certifying and overseeing its operators and aircraft in accordance with applicable international standards.[16][17] This decision was made soon after it was revealed that at least a fourth of all pilots' licences issued in Pakistan were not genuine.[18] By 9 July 2020, the airline was also banned by the United Kingdom and the United States.[19]

On November 29, 2024, the EASA lifted its ban on PIA and other Pakistani carriers, allowing travel between Pakistan and Europe.[20]

  1. ^ "Annual Report 2006 (Part-I)". Pakistan International Airlines. 3 April 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d "PIA Annual Report 2022" (PDF). piac.com.pk. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  3. ^ Ahtesham, Fatima (31 October 2024). "PIA privatisation process begins with sole bidder". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  4. ^ "History – Pakistan International Airlines". web.piac.com.pk. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  5. ^ Administrator. "PIA history". travels-agencies.com. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. ^ "History". www.piac.com.pk. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  7. ^ "gulf air | boeing | airbus | 1987 | 2153 | Flight Archive". www.flightglobal.com. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  8. ^ "History of PIA – Pakistan International Airlines". historyofpia.com. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  9. ^ "Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner Arrives at Paris Air Show – Jun 10, 2005". MediaRoom. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Plane lands after longest non-stop passenger flight". Daily Telegraph. 10 November 2005. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  11. ^ Platt, Craig (18 December 2019). "Qantas' final ultra-long haul test flight touches down after epic journey". Traveller. Retrieved 13 January 2020. Despite the long flight time, the last Project Sunrise test flight falls well short of the world record for the longest flight by a commercial airliner."

    "That title belongs to Pakistan International Airline, which flew a Boeing 777-200LR test flight from Hong Kong to London eastward, taking a whopping 22 hours, 22 minutes to complete the 21,600 kilometre journey.
  12. ^ "Overseas assets: Sale of PIA hotels likely to rake in $700 million – The Express Tribune". 30 April 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  13. ^ Goldstein, Joseph (21 September 2023). "Inside the Manhattan Hotel That Is the New Ellis Island". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  14. ^ Iqbal, Nasir (16 February 2020). "Govt defends Arshad's appointment as PIA chief". Dawn.
  15. ^ "New Planes, New Directions, New Management". Pakistan International Airlines.
  16. ^ Shahzad, Asif (1 July 2020). "EU safety agency suspends Pakistani airlines' European authorisation for six months". Reuters. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  17. ^ Asghar, Mohammed (8 April 2021). "European Union Aviation Safety Agency extends travel restrictions on PIA". Dawn. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  18. ^ Kaminski-Morrow, David (30 June 2020). "PIA banned from European operations after mounting safety concerns". Flight Global. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  19. ^ "U.S. bans Pakistan International Airlines flights over pilot concerns". Reuters. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  20. ^ "EASA Lifts Ban on PIA". Reuters. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.

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