PIA to add two new aircraft to its fleet

E-Paper | May 01, 2026

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to induct two new Airbus aircraft in its fleet.

The process of checking the A-320 planes is underway and they will be acquired on a dry lease under Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules, the national flag carrier said in a statement.

The decision was taken during an executive meeting chaired by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PIA, Muhammad Saqib Aziz.

During the meeting, PIA's performance over the past few months was also reviewed.

Attention was brought to the fact that expanding the fleet was necessary in order to fulfill market demand as it was becoming difficult to cater to the needs of passengers with the existing planes.

Aziz said that acquiring the two new planes will help PIA in expanding its operations and add to the number of passengers ferried by the airline.

The planes will be used mainly on domestic and regional routes, which include Gulf states and South East Asia.

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Tahir Naseer is a court and crime reporter for Dawn News (TV) with 17 years of experience in the field. He has covered numerous high-profile investigations, and his reporting focuses on transparency, accountability, and systemic challenges within the legal sector. He can be found on X at @tahirnaser.

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karman

Oct 06, 2018 05:29pm

When the airline making no profit why buying new Aircraft , theses aircraft will also increase the losses rather than profit as PIA operate in thoses route on which no other airline operate.

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SHAHID SATTAR

Oct 06, 2018 05:57pm

Whose turn it is to dispose them off as scrap and make a fortune out for himself and his family and friends and seek asylum on political grounds.

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Burhan Wani

Oct 06, 2018 06:03pm

Hang in tough PIA

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Dr.M.S.Awan

Oct 06, 2018 06:14pm

CEO Saqib Aziz,please take measures to improve services,make fares competitive and operate flights with full load and capacity.Any vacant seat on a flight adds to PIA losses.Adopt austerity measures and bring PIA out of the red first and then go for buying new air crafts. One thing more,put moratorium on new recruitment until PIA becomes profitable.

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nuzhat shireen

Oct 06, 2018 06:19pm

good decision in right direction.

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Expatriate

Oct 06, 2018 06:33pm

It's a nice move. PIA should induct more narrow body aircraft to its fleet as they are fuel efficient and augment cash saving strategy to cash strapped operators. The aircraft can be used on profitable routes on Middle East.

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Jameel

Oct 06, 2018 06:37pm

PIA needs to improve the service and of course adding new planes in the fleet improves the outlook. Also it is important that they need to wash the planes from inside. There was a strange smell when I traveled last on PIA on a long haul flight.

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sid

Oct 06, 2018 06:44pm

when will PIA buy its own planes for the manufacturers directly?... I'm waiting for that day they buy their own new 787, A380's so I can once again start to travel by PIA... until this doesn't happen I wont travel PIA

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Farhan

Oct 06, 2018 06:50pm

@karman PIA has the largest aircraft to Human Resources ratio that’s is about 1500 per plan in contrast to the world best practices of 350. These employees actually turn into fix cost which the organisation incurs regularly. Either they have to fire excess or to increase the number of planes. They have route available which they can operate. So it’s good to have planes.

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saad

Oct 06, 2018 06:59pm

PTI will make this bankrupt airline, again THE SAME PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE, Inshallah.

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M. Saeed

Oct 06, 2018 07:07pm

Airlines of even much smaller countries are placing orders of planes in hundreds and we are still talking about dry lease only of two air crafts.

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RIAZULLAH BAIG

Oct 06, 2018 07:24pm

Sell or scrap this water mill sooner than later. What's the use of pouring billions into this watermill when you're withdrawing all the subsidies from all other civic bodies?

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 06, 2018 07:53pm

More, dependable, newer, reliable and mid-sized aircrafts are what PIA desperately needs since last 20 years or so. The whole world knows that since last 65 plus years, PIA has got excellent, top class, well trained and outstanding cabin, cockpit and ground crews in its arsenal. The only products they desperately missed were these aircrafts, without which, it's next to impossible for any airline to sustain it's competitive advantage in the market. Hopefully, with the infusion of more funds, buying of tangible assets, lesser nepotism and fewer intervention from the "movers and shakers" in Islamabad, PIA could once again prove to be a force to reckon with in the global world of airlines and the international airline industry.

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Ahsan Gul

Oct 06, 2018 08:13pm

Let us make PIA once more one of the best airline of the world. People responsible for bringing purposely down should be brought to justice. Past freeloarders like Shrief family must pay their traveling expenses.

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Oct 06, 2018 08:24pm

They should use that money to improve the service to its existing fleet instead. Many Pakistanis travel with other airlines simply because of bad PIA service.

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NACParis

Oct 06, 2018 08:28pm

@Farhan Let me add to what you have said. Adding new aircraft, increasing the network will increase the earning and reduce loses.

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Omar

Oct 06, 2018 08:41pm

@NACParis you have it backwards . You expand then hire to support the operation rather than hire and look for ways to justify over staffing.

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wsyed

Oct 06, 2018 09:55pm

Why doesn't PIA ever buy new planes directly from manufacturers like most airlines? why lease on poor terms and suffer losses. If we hire qualified people then right decisions can be expected. Leasing one or two planes for a national airline does not make sense, unless for a short term to meet unexpected demand. Where is the long term plan?

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Yivya

Oct 06, 2018 09:58pm

Will those planes have wings?

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Joe

Oct 06, 2018 10:46pm

And this is news.? Indian companies have placed an order for 1123 new aircrafts.Third largest after USA and China.

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M Y

Oct 06, 2018 11:34pm

It would not matter removing or adding planes, but it would matter a lot for the airlines to recruit qualified work force. I am optimistic now about present government it will make the difference .

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PAKISTANI AMERICAN

Oct 06, 2018 11:53pm

I am a frequent flyer. Any airline of the world would like to help its passenger to reach their destinations. In PIA it is different. PIA staff will look at the passenger and figure out how he/she can money out of the passenger. Consequently they will create issues and problems try to off board the passenger to send hem/her to hotel and so on. You cannot make nya PIA by keeping the staff and you cannot change the staff. So you cannot fix it.

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Yash

Oct 07, 2018 12:19am

@wsyed .Buying directly from the manufacturers requires cash money which PIA does not have.

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Kash

Oct 07, 2018 01:36am

@Dr.M.S.Awan Fares are the cheapest from UK. I booked direct from pia for 2 weeks in February half term. Only £421. Next cheapest was over £530 on other airlines

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Kash

Oct 07, 2018 01:39am

Pia should get the comac Chinese plane

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Dr. Khan

Oct 07, 2018 03:25am

PIA should invest in the new generation of Boeing 777 rather than Air Bus.

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Magnanimous approach

Oct 07, 2018 05:04am

PIAC may consider procurement of commercial passenger planes from China, they are low priced, and proven air worthy. Chinese domestic routes are all covered by its own aircrafts. Try.

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Siddique Ahmed Chamria

Oct 07, 2018 08:40am

Cong. to chairman and CEO bringing 2 new Aircrafts, but please reduce your expenses in Management headcounts, like last week in NA it was mentioned that a senator has appointed 13 appointments, 3 his brothers, one at London /New York, this should be stop and removed these political appointees. clean up these political appointees immediately. and fire them.

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Javed

Oct 07, 2018 09:02am

Give PIA back to private hand, like it was before Bhutto nationalized it and destroyed it like every industry and education system. PIA loses are as much every year as one small dam construction every year. Pls privatized it so it be successful and employment will also increase with success.

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