RAWALPINDI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has acquired another fuel-efficient Airbus A-320 on lease from Ireland for six years as part of its plan to lease six aircraft to improve its performance.

Secretary Aviation Mohammad Ali Gardezi said this while talking to media personnel on the occasion of inducting the Airbus A-320 into the PIA’s fleet here at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Saturday.

“The induction of another fuel-efficient Airbus A-320 into the PIA fleet was part of government’s efforts to improve the national flag carrier. With the induction of another A-320 into the PIA fleet, the number of aircraft operating with the PIA will go up to 26,” he said, adding that five more airbus A-320 will be acquired by the end of January next year.

The aircraft with the seating capacity of 146 passengers will operate on domestic routes with lower operating cost. The flying range of Airbus A-320 is 5-1/2 hours.

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He said PIA had acquired three Airbus A-320s on lease that are considered the safest planes. It was the second aircraft while the third A-320 aircraft will be acquired in October. In addition, four or five more aircraft will be inducted into the fleet by the end of January 2015.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2014