RAWALPINDI: A British Airways (BA) team will reach Islamabad today (Tuesday) to review security arrangements and other services before the airline resumes its London-Islamabad service in June.

Four senior BA officials will reach Islamabad International Airport (IIA) at 2pm, a senior Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) official told Dawn. Soon after they land, the officials will meet with Pakistani aviation officials in Islamabad.

BA will begin three weekly flights on June 2 with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

A senior aviation official said the team will include the transport, marketing and security directors, and will check whether all the required arrangements at IIA – including security and passenger handling – meet international standards.

Security has been a major issue for the British authorities, who will meet with senior Airport Security Force personnel and other aviation officials, he said.

BA suspended all flights to Pakistan in September 2008 citing security concerns in the wake of the Marriott Hotel bombing.

The airline announced it would be resuming its service between London Heathrow and Islamabad in December last year.

British authorities have expressed satisfaction with the improvement in Pakistan’s security situation in recent years, and have called the resumption of BA flights between IIA and Heathrow excellent news for both countries.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2019