Pakistan International Airlines facts for kids
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| Founded | 29 October 1946 (as Orient Airways) |
|---|---|
| Hubs | |
| Focus cities |
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| Frequent-flyer program | Awards Plus |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 32 |
| Destinations | 58 |
| Parent company | Aviation Division, GoP |
| Headquarters | Jinnah International Airport, Karachi |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  ₨172.03 billion (US$1.1 billion)(2022) |
| Operating income |  ₨-86.51 billion (US$−540 million)(2022) |
| Net income | ₨-88 billion (US$−550 million) (2022) |
| Total assets | ₨154.97 billion (US$970 million) (2022) |
Pakistan International Airlines (Urdu: پاکستان بین الاقوامی طیران; often called PIA) is the national airline of Pakistan. It is owned by the government and serves as the country's main airline. Its biggest airport hub is Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. Other important hubs are Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and Islamabad International Airport.
PIA started on October 29, 1946, as Orient Airways. It began in British India before moving to Pakistan in 1947. In 1955, it became Pakistan International Airlines and started flying to London. PIA made history in 1964 by becoming the first non-Communist airline to fly to China. In 2005, a PIA Boeing 777-200LR flew the world's longest nonstop commercial flight. This flight lasted over 22 hours from Hong Kong to London.
PIA is Pakistan's largest airline. It has a fleet of 31 aircraft and flies to nearly 50 places daily. This includes 20 cities in Pakistan and 27 international cities in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. The airline also owns hotels, like The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. In 2020, PIA faced flight restrictions in Europe, the UK, and the US due to safety concerns.
Contents
- How PIA Started
- After Pakistan Became Independent
- How PIA is Managed
- Where PIA Flies
- PIA's Fleet of Aircraft
- Plane Designs (Livery)
- Services for Passengers
- Cargo Flights
- Company Sponsorships
- Special Flights
- Accidents and Incidents
- Images for kids
How PIA Started
Pakistan International Airlines' story goes back to before Pakistan became an independent country in 1947. In the 1930s, big airlines like Imperial Airways created many small airports across Africa and Asia. This helped them fly long distances.
In 1945, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who founded Pakistan, saw the need for a national airline. He asked wealthy business people like Mirza Ahmad Ispahani for help. This led to the creation of Orient Airways. It was registered in Kolkata (then Calcutta) on October 23, 1946. Orient Airways was the first airline owned by Muslims in British India.
In February 1947, the airline bought three Douglas DC-3 planes. It got permission to fly in May of that year. On June 30, 1947, Orient Airways began flights in British India. It flew from Calcutta to Sittwe and Rangoon (now Yangon).
After Pakistan Became Independent
On August 14, 1947, Pakistan became independent. Orient Airways helped the new country by flying important routes. The airline was given the job of connecting East and West Pakistan by air. By 1949, Orient Airways had three Convair CV-240s. It used them for routes like Karachi-Delhi-Kolkata-Dhaka. It was the first Asian airline to use Convair planes.
The 1950s: Growing the Airline
By 1953, Orient's flights were not doing well. Other airlines were also flying its routes. So, the Pakistani government started helping Orient Airways financially. In 1952, the government bought three Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation planes. These planes were for a new government airline called Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
PIA was first part of Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority. Its job was to operate and maintain the new Lockheed planes. On October 1, 1953, Orient Airways and Pakistan International Airlines merged. The government took control of the airline's money. Orient Airways still flew under its name for a few more years.
In early 1954, Pakistan's Ministry of Defence took over. On June 7, 1954, Orient Airways started nonstop flights between East and West Pakistan. These flights went from Karachi to Dhaka. The government made these flights affordable for many people. The airline also added new routes within Pakistan.
On March 11, 1955, Orient Airways and Pakistan International Airlines officially became one. The new airline was called Pakistan International Airlines Corporation. The government owned most of the airline. PIA now had a fleet of three Lockheed L-1049C Super Constellations, two Convair CV-240s, and eleven DC-3s.
The new PIA also started its first international route. It flew from Karachi to London Heathrow Airport, stopping in Cairo and Rome. In 1955, PIA carried 113,165 passengers, a big increase from 1954. In 1956, PIA ordered five Vickers Viscount planes. It also partnered with PanAm for staff training. By 1957-1958, passenger numbers grew to 208,000. In 1959, Air Marshal Nur Khan became the head of PIA. This started a successful time for the airline.
The 1960s: Jet Age and Global Reach
In February 1960, PIA leased a Boeing 707 from Pan American. On March 7, 1960, it started using this jet on the Karachi-London route. This made PIA the first Asian airline to use a jet plane for commercial flights. By the end of 1960, PIA made a profit for the first time.
With new planes, PIA started its first flight across the Atlantic Ocean. This route went from Karachi to New York JFK in May 1961. In 1961, PIA ordered three Boeing 720s, which arrived in 1962. On January 2, 1962, a PIA Boeing 720B set a world speed record for a commercial flight. It flew at 938.78 km/h (582.98 mph) from London to Karachi. This record still stands today.
PIA also ordered Fokker F27 Friendship planes and Sikorsky helicopters. The helicopters were used for air service to 20 towns in East Pakistan until 1966. In 1964, PIA started flying to China. It became the first airline from a non-communist country to fly to the People's Republic of China. On May 10, 1964, PIA also became the first non-Soviet airline to offer flights to Europe through Moscow.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the Pakistani Armed Forces used PIA's planes for transport. The Viscounts were replaced by four Hawker Siddeley Tridents in 1966. PIA's network grew fast in the mid to late 1960s. It added cities like Paris, Istanbul, Baghdad, Kuwait, Jeddah, Nairobi, Bangkok, Manila, Tokyo, and Damascus.
The 1970s: Expanding the Fleet and Services
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On December 3, 1971, a French person tried to hijack a PIA flight from Paris to Karachi. French security forces stopped this attempt. Flights to New York City started again in May 1972. PIA added Tripoli to its network in 1972. PIA also leased two Boeing 707s to the Yugoslav airline JAT (now Air Serbia).
PIA bought McDonnell Douglas DC-10s in 1973 to replace its older Boeing 707-300s. In 1974, Nur Khan became PIA's executive again. That same year, PIA launched Pakistan International Cargo for air freight services. By 1976–7, PIA carried 2.2 million passengers. This was a big jump from 698,000 in 1972–3. On January 20, 1978, a PIA Fokker 27 was hijacked on its way to Karachi from Sukkur.
PIA started helping other airlines with technical and administrative support. These included Air China, Air Malta, and Philippine Airlines. PIA also started providing hotel management services in the United Arab Emirates. However, political problems in Pakistan in the late 1970s began to affect PIA.
The 1980s: New Planes and Growth
The 1980s were a time of continued growth for PIA. The decade began with a new cargo handling center at Karachi airport. PIA also started duty-free shops and introduced its first Airbus A300B4-200 plane. In 1981, PIA had almost 24,000 employees. Even after reducing staff, PIA still had many employees for its number of planes.
PIA's operations became more spread out in the early 1980s. Different departments took on more responsibilities. Despite this, PIA reported its highest profits ever in 1981-82 and again in 1983-84. In 1984, the airline started the Night Coach service. This was a cheaper option for domestic flights.
In the following years, PIA Planetariums opened in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar. These planetariums displayed old PIA planes for people to see. PIA's profits rose again in 1984–5.
In June 1985, PIA became the first Asian airline to use the Boeing 737-300. Six of these planes were delivered. Pakistan International Airlines also helped start Emirates airline in 1985. PIA gave technical help and leased planes to Emirates. By late 1987 and early 1988, PIA started flights to Malé, Manchester, and Toronto.
The 1990s: Challenges and Changes
In the 1990s, PIA started losing money. This was due to pilot strikes, problems with suppliers, too many staff, and political interference. In 1990, First Officer Maliha Sami became PIA's first female pilot. In June 1991, PIA received its first of six Airbus A310-300 planes. With these new planes, the airline started flights to Tashkent in 1992 and to Zürich in 1993.
In March 1993, AVM Farooq Umar became the managing director. In 1993, an "Open Skies" agreement was made between Karachi and Dubai. This allowed 12 private airlines to fly within Pakistan. These changes put a lot of pressure on PIA's finances. However, PIA launched six new routes to the Persian Gulf and CIS countries. It also started a tourist "Air Safari" flight over the Karakoram Mountains in 1994. Non-stop flights from Lahore and Islamabad to JFK and Canada were also launched. PIA added Jakarta, Fujairah, Baku, and Al-Ain to its network in 1994. PIA also started using three major flight reservation systems: SABRE, Galileo, and Amadeus.
A Tupolev Tu-154 plane was leased briefly in 1996 to handle more passengers. Flights to Beirut also restarted that year. In 1999, PIA leased five Boeing 747–300 planes from Cathay Pacific. These replaced its older Boeing 747-200M fleet. The planes were painted with a new design.
The 2000s: Modernization and Challenges
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The War in Afghanistan after September 11, 2001, affected PIA. Afghan airspace was closed. But after new management took over in April 2001, the airline became profitable again. Costs went down, and revenue increased.
In July 2002, PIA bought six Boeing 747–300 planes from Cathay Pacific. In October 2002, PIA ordered eight Boeing 777 aircraft. This order included different versions of the 777. PIA was the first customer to order the Boeing 777-200LR.
Boeing delivered the first 777-200ER to PIA in January 2004. PIA also introduced a new look for its planes. PIA leased six more Airbus A310-300 planes. On November 3, 2005, PIA ordered seven ATR 42-500 planes to replace its older Fokker F27s. On November 10, 2005, PIA used the 777-200LR to fly the world's longest commercial flight. It flew over 21,000 kilometers from Hong Kong to London in 22 hours and 22 minutes. This record still stands.
In 2005, Ayesha Rabia Naveed became the first woman to captain a scheduled commercial flight. The next year, she captained a flight with an all-woman crew. On December 23, 2006, PIA received its first Boeing 777-300ER.
PIA started non-stop flights from Toronto to Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore on March 3, 2006. This was possible because of the new long-range 777 aircraft. This helped PIA offer better travel for passengers. PIA also planned non-stop flights to New York City and other US cities. However, US authorities did not allow this due to security concerns after 9/11.
A PIA flight from Multan crashed in July 2006, killing 45 people. A government investigation blamed old aircraft. Houston services also ended in 2006. On March 5, 2007, the European Commission banned most of PIA's planes from flying to Europe. This was due to safety concerns about its older aircraft. The Boeing 777s were allowed to fly. PIA said the ban was unfair.
The ban on some planes was lifted after four months on July 5, 2007. On November 29, 2007, the EU completely removed the ban. All of PIA's planes were allowed to fly to Europe again.
The 2010s: Financial Struggles and New Routes
In 2010, PIA changed the design on its planes. The tail now had a larger Pakistan national flag. The words "Pakistan International" were added in gold. By 2011, PIA started losing money again and needed government help.
In 2014, PIA leased four Boeing 737-800s. It also leased Airbus A320 aircraft. In 2015, PIA stopped using its Boeing 747-300s after 16 years of service.
In early 2016, PIA flights were stopped for a week. Employees went on strike because two workers died during a protest against the airline's privatization. In August 2016, PIA launched a new "Premier Service" for flights to London. It used an Airbus A330-300 leased from SriLankan Airlines. This service ended after six months. By the end of 2016, the airline had $3 billion in debt.
In January 2017, PIA removed all Airbus A310-300s from its fleet. PIA's service to New York ended in October 2017. This was because of US rules that prevented nonstop flights from Pakistan. Toronto became PIA's only destination in North America.
In 2017, PIA decided to change its booking system. By September 2018, the airline successfully switched to a new system called "Hitit." At the end of 2018, the airline had $3.3 billion in debt. It needed government help to keep operating. After Shaheen Air stopped flying, PIA started routes that Shaheen used to serve.
In 2019, PIA launched new profitable routes. It also increased flights on popular routes like Karachi-Toronto. Six routes that were losing money were stopped. In April 2019, PIA said its income almost matched its costs. In August 2019, PIA let go of 1,000 employees who were no longer needed. By the end of 2019, PIA's income increased by 41%. This was due to stopping unprofitable routes and better use of cargo space.
The 2020s: Recent Events
For the first time, PIA flew a relief flight from Lahore to Melbourne, Australia, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 22, 2020, a PIA Airbus A320-214 crashed near Karachi airport. It was flying from Lahore to Karachi. Flight PK8303 had 91 passengers and eight crew members. It crashed near the runway of Jinnah International Airport. 97 people died, but two passengers survived. The investigation found that human error and not following safety rules were the main reasons for the crash.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed concerns about pilot licensing and safety oversight in Pakistan. In November 2020, PIA closed its courier service, SpeedEx. It also let go of 320 employees. In December 2020, PIA announced plans to lay off half of its employees. It also moved its engineering part, Precision Engineering Complex (PEC), to the Pakistan Air Force.
Flight Cancellations Due to Fuel Bills
In late 2023, PIA had to cancel many flights. This was because it had not paid its fuel bills. Pakistan State Oil stopped providing fuel to PIA. This happened after PIA's request for more government money was denied.
In late December 2023, the government planned to privatize the airline. An adviser to the Prime Minister said that PIA would first be privatized as a flight company. Decisions about its other properties would be made later.
How PIA is Managed
Structure of the Airline
Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) is mostly owned by the Government of Pakistan (86%). Private shareholders own the rest (14%). The airline is managed by the Aviation Division. It is led by a president and chief executive officer, along with a board of directors.
The board has nine independent members. It also has four smaller committees: Audit, Brand and Advertising, Finance, and Human Resource. The president and CEO lead the staff who run the airline. PIA's main office is in Karachi. Smaller offices are in other cities in Pakistan.
Seven of PIA's ten departments are in Islamabad. These include Marketing, Central Reservation Control, and HR. The other three departments are in Karachi: finance, engineering, and the situation room.
Privatization Efforts
In the late 1990s, the Government of Pakistan announced plans to privatize PIA. This was because the airline kept losing money. However, these plans were never fully carried out. Some non-core businesses, like catering and ground handling, started to operate as separate companies. In 1997, the International Finance (IFC) advised on restructuring PIA. But no agreement was reached. Despite many plans, PIA was removed from the privatization list in 2009.
In 2013, the government again tried to privatize the airline. They wanted to sell 26% of shares and management control to an investor. This plan was stopped due to protests from airline workers. In 2018, the new government decided not to privatize PIA. Instead, they aimed to make it profitable by changing its top management.
On February 6, 2024, the government decided to split PIA into two parts. This was to make it more attractive to investors. One part, called TopCo, would handle basic functions like engineering and flight operations. The other part, HoldCo, would manage properties and other departments.
Money and Operations
In 2011, PIA started losing money again and needed government help. By the end of 2016, the airline had $3 billion in debt. By the end of 2018, this debt grew to $3.3 billion. This meant it needed government bailouts to keep flying. In April 2019, PIA said its income almost matched its costs.
An audit in September 2019 showed that PIA flew 46 empty flights between 2016 and 2017. This caused a loss of $1.1 million. Also, 36 Hajj flights were flown without any passengers. By the end of 2019, PIA's income increased by 41% compared to the previous year. This was due to stopping unprofitable routes and better use of cargo space.
PIA faces many challenges. It used to be one of the cheapest airlines in the Middle East. However, other Middle East airlines now offer many daily flights to Pakistan. This creates strong competition. PIA also stopped profitable routes to the US. This was because US rules required costly stops in Europe for security checks. This made PIA flights much longer than those of Middle Eastern airlines. Also, PIA had too many employees for its number of planes. In August 2019, PIA laid off 1,000 employees to help with this.
| Year | Revenue (PKR million) | Net income (PKR million) | Passenger Load Factor (%) | Revenue passengers (million) | Employees (average) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 64,074 |
(4,411) |
69 |
5.499 |
19,263 |
| 2006 | 70,587 |
(12,763) |
68 |
5.732 |
18,282 |
| 2007 | 70,480 |
(13,398) |
67 |
5.415 |
18,149 |
| 2008 | 89,201 |
(35,880) |
71 |
5.617 |
18,036 |
| 2009 | 94,563 |
(5,822) |
70 |
5.535 |
17,944 |
| 2010 | 107,531 |
(20,785) |
74 |
5.538 |
18,019 |
| 2011 | 116,550 |
(26,767) |
72 |
5.953 |
18,014 |
| 2012 | 112,130 |
(33,181) |
70 |
5.236 |
17,439 |
| 2013 | 95,771 |
(44,524) |
70 | 4.449 |
16,604 |
| 2014 | 99,519 |
(31,744) |
72 |
4.202 |
16,243 |
| 2015 | 91,268 |
(32,529) |
70 |
4.394 |
16,271 |
| 2016 | 88,997 |
(44,900) |
N/A | 5.486 |
13,947 |
| 2017 | 90,843 |
(47,760) |
73 |
5.342 |
13,592 |
| 2018 | 103,490 |
(67,327) |
77 |
5.203 |
12,437 |
| 2019 | 147,500 |
(55,451) |
81 |
5.290 |
11,740 |
| 2020 | 94,989 |
(34,642) |
74 |
2.541 |
10,779 |
| 2021 | 94,989 |
(50,101) |
66 |
2.657 |
8,558 |
| 2022 | 172,038 |
(88,008) |
80 |
4.281 |
8,031 |
Where PIA Flies
As of November 2019, PIA flies to 19 cities in Pakistan. It also flies to 24 international cities in 16 countries. These countries are in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
PIA also has agreements with other airlines. These are called Interline agreements and codeshare agreements. This allows PIA to offer flights to 102 international cities in 40 countries.
PIA shares flights with these airlines:
- China Southern Airlines
- Etihad Airways
- Emirates
- Malaysia Airlines
- Thai Airways International
- Turkish Airlines
Interline Agreements
PIA has agreements with these airlines for connecting flights:
Cargo Agreements
PIA has special agreements with these airlines for cargo services:
PIA's Fleet of Aircraft
Current Aircraft
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As of December 2023, Pakistan International Airlines uses these planes:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Capacity | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y+ | Y | Total | ||||
| ATR 42-500 | 3 | — | — | 10 | 38 | 48 | One aircraft parked. |
| Airbus A320-200 | 17 | — | 8 | — | 150 | 158 | Four aircraft parked. |
| — | — | 180 | 180 | ||||
| Boeing 777-200ER | 6 | — | 35 | 45 | 240 | 319 | One aircraft parked. |
| 35 | 54 | 240 | 329 | ||||
| Boeing 777-200LR | 2 | — | 35 | 60 | 215 | 310 | Launch customer. |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 4 | 5 | 35 | 54 | 304 | 393 | Two aircraft parked. |
| Total | 32 | 5 | |||||
Past Aircraft
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| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300B4-200 | 10 | 1980 | 2005 | |
| 1 | 1986 | 1992 | Crashed as flight PK268 | |
| Airbus A310-300 | 12 | 1991 | 2016 | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | 2014 | 2020 | Crashed as flight PK8303 |
| Airbus A321-200 | 2 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| Airbus A330-300 | 1 | 2016 | 2017 | |
| ATR 42-500 | 1 | 2007 | 2016 | Crashed as flight PK661 |
| ATR 72-500 | 3 | 2015 | 2020 | Two aircraft in storage. One aircraft transferred to Pakistan Naval Air Arm. |
| Boeing 707-320C | 12 | 1960 | 1999 | |
| 1 | 1979 | Crashed as flight PK740 | ||
| Boeing 720B | 8 | 1962 | 1986 | |
| 1 | 1965 | Crashed as flight PK705 | ||
| Boeing 737–300 | 8 | 1985 | 2014 | |
| Boeing 737–400 | 2 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Boeing 737–800 | 4 | 2014 | 2015 | |
| Boeing 747-200B | 6 | 1976 | 2005 | |
| Boeing 747-200B Combi | 2 | 1979 | 2011 | |
| Boeing 747-300 | 6 | 1999 | 2015 | Bought from Cathay Pacific |
| Convair CV-240 | 4 | 1947 | 1959 | |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 8 | 1970 | 2001 | |
| Douglas DC-3 | 15 | 1947 | 1967 | |
| Douglas DC-8-21F | 1 | 1977 | 1978 | |
| Douglas DC-61CF | 1 | 1977 | 1978 | |
| Fokker F27-200 Friendship | 22 | 1961 | 2006 | |
| 1 | 1989 | Missing as flight PK404 | ||
| 1 | 2006 | Crashed as flight PK688 | ||
| Fokker F27-400 Friendship | 1 | 1961 | 2003 | |
| Fokker F27-600 Friendship | 5 | 1966 | 1986 | |
| Hiller UH-12E4 | 1 | 1963 | 1971 | |
| Hawker Siddeley Trident 1E | 4 | 1966 | 1970 | |
| Lockheed L-100-382B-4C Hercules | 2 | 1966 | 1966 | |
| Lockheed L-1049C Super Constellation | 3 | 1954 | 1969 | |
| Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation | 2 | 1958 | 1969 | |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 | 5 | 1974 | 1986 | |
| Mil Mi-8 MTV-1 | 1 | 1995 | 1997 | |
| Sikorsky S-61N | 3 | 1963 | 1967 | |
| 1 | 1966 | Crashed as flight PK17 | ||
| Tupolev Tu-154 | 4 | 1996 | 1997 | |
| Vickers Viscount 815 | 5 | 1956 | 1966 |
Plane Designs (Livery)
In December 2003, PIA introduced a new look for its planes. The front was white, and the back was beige. A dark green stripe separated these colors. The tail was white with "PIA" written in dark green. The word "Pakistan" was added to the front of the plane. The PIA logo in Urdu was placed behind the cockpit. This design was changed before the first Boeing 777 was delivered. The tail logo was replaced with a flowing Pakistan flag on a beige background. The "Pakistan" titles were removed, and the "PIA" acronym was made larger.
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In early 2006, the airline launched four new tail designs. These tails showed the cultures of Pakistan's four provinces: Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. Each tail had unique patterns and a city name from that province. For example, the "Frontier" tail showed a "Phulkari" (flowering) pattern. In 2009, this idea was stopped because it was too expensive.
PIA launched another new design in April 2010. It had a green and gold stripe along the bottom of the plane. The front part was white, and the back was off-white or beige. The tail had a large, wavy Pakistan flag in dark green. "PIA" was written in large dark green letters on the front. Below it, "Pakistan" was in gold. There was also an Urdu PIA logo near the cockpit and on the engines.
In July 2014, PIA added a "crescent and star" design to the engine covers of its new A320 planes. In 2015, to celebrate 60 years of service, PIA put its 1960s design on some Airbus A320s and one Boeing 777-200ER.
In April 2018, PIA launched a new brand identity. It featured a picture of the Markhor, Pakistan's national animal. A large Markhor was on the tail, and two smaller ones were on the engines. This symbol was chosen because it is recognized worldwide. The idea was to make PIA a global brand. The Markhor on the tail had long, twisted horns.
The font of the PIA logo was also changed. New colors, including blue, were added to the "PIA" acronym. The airline's slogan changed to "We Fly at the Right Attitude." The first plane with this new design was shown on May 12, 2018. However, the Supreme Court of Pakistan stopped this rebranding. They were concerned about the cost and unpaid staff salaries. The Supreme Court ordered PIA to keep the flag on the tail. With a change in management, the rebranding was completely stopped.
Currently, PIA uses a mix of designs. It has a white body with a gold Urdu logo near the front doors and on the engines. The flag tail, English "PIA" (and "Pakistan International" in gold) titles in dark green, and "Pakistan" titles in dark green on the belly are from the 2010 design. The PIA website address was also added. Five Boeing 777s and three A320s currently have this mixed design.
Services for Passengers
Food and Drinks (Catering)
PIA Catering provides meals for flights from Islamabad and Karachi. It can make 15,000 meals every day. In 2006, the management of the flight kitchens was given to Singapore Air Terminal Services (SATS). This agreement ended in 2011, and PIA now manages the kitchens itself. As of April 2019, PIA signed an agreement with McDonald's for airline catering. PIA Catering offers special meals for passengers with different dietary or religious needs. No alcoholic beverages or pork are served on board due to Islamic dietary laws.
PIA Premier Service
PIA Premier was a special luxury service launched on August 14, 2016. An Airbus A330 plane was leased from SriLankan Airlines for this service. It offered six flights a week to London, three from Islamabad and three from Lahore. This service was stopped after six months.
Movies and Entertainment on Board
Pakistan International Airlines was the first international airline to show movies on board in 1962.
Internet on Flights
In January 2017, PIA started testing an internet system on some domestic flights. This system lets passengers use their own phones or tablets to watch movies, listen to music, and view TV shows. Boeing 777 flights have personal screens with movies, music, and TV. The Boeing 777 entertainment system also shows an in-flight map. Some A320s have drop-down screens with maps and air shows.
Engineering Complex
The Precision Engineering Complex (PEC) has many facilities. These include:
- Binocular Assembly
- Calibration Facility
- Glass Fibre Composite Manufacturing
- Investment Casting Facility
- Machine Shop
- Material Testing Laboratory
- Non Destructive Testing Facility
- Optics
- Printed Circuit Boards (PCB)
- Plating Facilities
- Packaging Plant
- Shot Peening
Ground Handling Services
PIA provides ground handling services for these airlines:
- Air China
- China Southern Airlines
- Gulf Air
- Qatar Airways
- Oman Air
- Saudia
- SriLankan Airlines
- Uzbekistan Airways
Cargo Flights
PIA has a system for delivering cargo within Pakistan. PIA Cargo transports goods across Pakistan and to other countries. These goods include food, textiles, and postal mail.
In the early 1970s, PIA had a service called Air Express for delivering documents and parcels. In 1974, PIA started a special cargo division called Pakistan International Cargo. This division used two Boeing 707-320C planes. It flew cargo to the Middle East and Europe. These operations ended in the late 1990s. From 2004 to 2007, PIA again operated two Airbus A300 Freighter planes. But this service also ended.
In 2003, PIA launched PIA Speedex, a courier service. It started in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad. Within a year, it expanded to twelve cities. Today, it serves over 70 places in Pakistan.
In 2019, PIA's new management greatly increased the use of its cargo space. It went from 20% to almost 80%.
PIA currently offers cargo service to many international cities. These include Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, London, Manchester, Paris, Tokyo, and Toronto.
Company Sponsorships
PIA has sponsored many events in Pakistan and other countries. In the 1990s, the airline used a green stripe design on its planes to show support for sports. The airline supports the Pakistan International Airlines first-class cricket team. PIA also sponsors the PIA football club and the A1 Team Pakistan in car racing. The airline promotes the Shandur Polo Gala, a yearly event in northern Pakistan. PIA has its own Sports Division since 1958. It promotes sports like cricket, hockey, football, and squash in Pakistan.
PIA has its own Boy Scouts Association (PIA-BSA). It works with the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association. After a big earthquake in 2005, PIA-BSA helped provide relief.
PIA was a sponsor for the "Destination Pakistan 2007" festivals. The logo was added to some planes that year. In 2008, PIA partnered with Ufone, a mobile phone company. This allowed passengers to earn air miles. Standard Chartered Bank and PIA also launched credit cards that earn air miles. In 2009, PIA was a gold sponsor for Logistics Pakistan. This event showed new opportunities for the logistics sector in Pakistan. In 2009, PIA and the Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) worked together to promote money transfers.
PIA has Planetariums in Karachi and Lahore. People can see old planes and astronomy shows there. PIA Horticulture, started in 1996, provides flowers for PIA's offices and events. It has won awards at flower shows. The airline supports non-profit groups in Pakistan. In 2009, PIA partnered with McDonald's to offer discounts to passengers. PIA also owns three hotels: the Roosevelt Hotel, the Scribe Hotel, and Skyrooms (Private) Limited.
Special Flights
Transporting Government Officials
PIA has always flown government officials of Pakistan. It transports the President and Prime Minister on trips to other countries. In the late 1990s, a PIA Boeing 737–300 was used for official visits. This plane had government colors. Later, it was repainted in PIA's regular colors. After a military coup in 1999, the Boeing 737–300 was given to PIA permanently. The President and Prime Minister then used two of PIA's Airbus A310-300s for official visits. Sometimes, they flew on regular commercial flights. In February 2007, the government of Qatar gave an Airbus A310 to the Pakistani government. This meant PIA planes were no longer needed for these trips. However, the government sometimes uses one of PIA's Airbus A320s or a Boeing 777 for official travel.
Charter Flights
PIA operates private charter flights using ATR 42s. These flights go to places like Bhit, Kadanwari, and Sehwan Sharif in Sindh. They also fly to other parts of the country for oil and gas companies. PIA also flies special charters for United Nations peacekeeping troops. These flights go to Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia.
Hajj and Umrah Flights
PIA operates special flights for two months each year for the Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. PIA used to transport over 100,000 pilgrims each year. However, its fleet became smaller. So, the airline's Hajj quota was reduced to 60,000 to 70,000 pilgrims.
Other Special Services A PIA plane carrying medical supplies landed in Afghanistan in May 2022. This was the first such flight since the Taliban took control. The World Health Organisation thanked Pakistan for providing the Boeing 777 plane. PIA's CEO, Arshad Malik, said it was the airline's "moral responsibility" to help people in Afghanistan. He stated that PIA would continue humanitarian missions.
Accidents and Incidents
The airline has had more than 30 aircraft involved in crashes and other events. This includes 20 crashes where people died. There have also been at least eight hijacking incidents involving PIA planes between 1971 and 2017.
- In October 1952, an Orient Airways cargo flight from Karachi to Dacca crashed. One person died.
- On August 3, 1953, a Douglas DC-3 carrying pilgrims crashed after takeoff from Karachi. One of 25 people died. The crash was due to the co-pilot's inability to fly using instruments in the dark.
- On February 25, 1956, a Douglas DC-3 cargo plane crashed into a mountain near Gilgit in bad weather. All three crew members died.
- On July 1, 1957, a Douglas DC-3 domestic flight crashed in the Bay of Bengal. All 20 passengers and four crew members died.
- On May 15, 1958, a Convair CV-240 (Flight 205) crashed shortly after taking off from Delhi's Palam Airport. Four of six crew members and 21 of 38 passengers died. Two people on the ground also died. The pilot was confused by a visual illusion in the dark.
- On May 18, 1959, a Vickers Viscount was badly damaged during a landing at Islamabad International Airport. No one died.
- On August 14, 1959, another Vickers Viscount crashed at Karachi International Airport during a training flight. Two of three people on board died.
- On March 26, 1965, a Douglas DC-3 crashed in mountains near the Lowari Pass. Four crew members and 18 of 22 passengers died.
- On May 20, 1965, a Boeing 720 (Flight 705) crashed while landing at Cairo International Airport. 121 people died.
- On October 8, 1965, a Fokker F27 Friendship cargo plane crashed near Patian. All four crew members died.
- On February 2, 1966, Flight 17, a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter, crashed in East Pakistan. 23 of 24 people on board died.
- On August 6, 1970, a Fokker F27 Friendship crashed shortly after taking off from Rawalpindi in stormy weather. All 26 passengers and four crew members died.
- On December 3, 1971, a French person tried to hijack a Boeing 720B flight from Paris to Karachi. French security forces stopped the attempt.
- On December 8, 1972, a Fokker F27 Friendship (Flight 631) crashed in mountains between Gilgit and Rawalpindi. All 22 passengers and four crew members died.
- On January 20, 1978, a PIA Fokker F27 was hijacked at Karachi. The chairman of PIA, Air Marshal (Retd) Nur Khan, was shot while trying to stop the hijacker but managed to overpower him.
- On November 26, 1979, Flight 740, a Boeing 707-320C, crashed after takeoff from Jeddah International Airport. 156 people died.
- On March 2, 1981, Flight 326 was hijacked and flown to Kabul. Over 100 passengers were held captive. One passenger was killed.
- On February 4, 1986, a Boeing 747 (Flight 300) made a belly landing at Islamabad Airport. All 247 passengers and 17 crew members survived. This was caused by pilot error.
- On October 23, 1986, a Fokker F27 crashed while landing at Peshawar Airport. 13 of 54 people on board died.
- On August 25, 1989, a Fokker F27 (Flight 404) disappeared shortly after taking off from Gilgit Airport. All 54 people on board are presumed dead.
- On September 28, 1992, Flight 268, an Airbus A300, crashed while landing at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. All 167 people on board died.
- On December 27, 1997, a Pakistan Airlines Boeing 747 overshot the runway while landing at Dubai international airport. No one died.
- On May 25, 1998, a Fokker F27 Friendship (Flight 544) was hijacked. All passengers and crew escaped safely.
- On October 17, 2001, Pakistan International Airlines flight 231, an Airbus A300, veered off the runway during landing at Peshawar. All 205 people on board survived.
- On March 1, 2004, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 2002, an Airbus A300, had two tires burst during takeoff from King Abdulaziz International Airport. The engines caught fire, and the takeoff was stopped. All 261 passengers and 12 crew survived. The plane was too damaged to be repaired.
- On July 10, 2006, Flight 688, a Fokker F27, crashed in a field shortly after taking off from Multan International Airport. All 41 passengers and four crew members died.
- On September 25, 2010, a PIA Boeing 777-200LR flying from Toronto to Karachi made an emergency landing at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. This was due to a false bomb threat.
- On August 31, 2012, an ATR 42–500 (Flight 653) undershot the runway while landing at Allama Iqbal International Airport. No one died, but the plane was too damaged to be repaired.
- On February 11, 2013, a Boeing 737 (Flight 259) had its landing gear collapse during landing at Muscat International Airport. No one died, but the plane was too damaged to be repaired.
- On June 24, 2014, an Airbus A310-300 (Flight 756) was hit by gunfire while landing at Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar. One passenger died, and two crew members were injured. The plane landed safely.
- On December 7, 2016, Flight 661, an ATR 42–500, crashed in Havelian, Pakistan. All 47 people on board died.
- On May 22, 2020, Flight 8303, an Airbus A320, crashed while landing at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. 97 people on board died, and two survived. One person on the ground also died. The investigation found that human error and not following safety rules were the main reasons.
Images for kids
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Passengers and bystanders with an Orient Airways Douglas DC-3 at Calcutta, circa 1947
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A Convair CV-240 at Jinnah International Airport Karachi, circa 1950
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A Lockheed 1049C Super Constellation at London Heathrow International Airport London, 8 April 1955
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A Boeing 720 at Heathrow Airport on 24 June 1962
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PIA Fokker F27 Friendship at Chitral Airport arriving from Peshawar on 1 August 1972
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A PIA McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 taking off from Frankfurt Airport, West Germany, circa 1977
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A PIA Airbus A300 at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino, Italy circa 1991
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PIA Boeing 747 Combi taxiing at London's London Heathrow International Airport in June 1992
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PIA Boeing 747–300 on short final to London Heathrow International Airport, circa 2003
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PIA Boeing 777-200ER taking off from Manchester Airport, circa 2006
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PIA ATR 42-500 in a Balochistan province tail livery on 14 November 2011
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A scale model on display at Karachi Airport
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Pakistan International Airlines' regionffice, located in Lahore
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PIA Douglas DC-8-21, leased in 1977–1978
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PIA Airbus A310-300 landed at Germany, Frankfurt Airport, 25 April 2004
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PIA Airbus A321 taking off from Islamabad International Airport (2006)
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PIA Boeing 747–300 taking off from the Multan International Airport for a Hajj flight, 28 October 2010
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PIA's 1980s legacy tail, which became an identity for the airline
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A PIA Boeing 747–300 painted in a Frontier livery
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In 2018, Pakistan's national animal Markhor was chosen to be introduced as the brand identity on aircraft tail. However, later the Supreme Court of Pakistan took suo motu action and barred PIA from using the Markhor as brand identity; only one Airbus A320 was painted in the livery.
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Logo of PIA with Kashmiri Markhor depicted, used in 2018
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PIA Boeing 707C operating Cargo aircraft taxiing at Charles de Gaulle Airport, France on 14 August 1994
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Callsign "PAKISTAN 001" carrying the President on PIA's Boeing 707. Photographed at Munich Airport in West Germany, circa 1961.
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The memorial tablet at the crash site in Cairo for those who died on PIA Flight 705 on 20 May 1965
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Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 crash site in Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on 28 September 1992
In Spanish: Pakistan International Airlines para niños
- List of airlines of Pakistan
- Transport in Pakistan
