KARACHI: Pakistan International Airline signed here yesterday [May 27] an agreement with the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation for the sale of four British-made Tridents. The three-engine aircraft will be delivered to China by the end of October this year. The first aircraft is likely to leave Pakistan with Chinese colours by the end of next month.

The first Trident will also carry a dozen PIA men, who will train the Chinese pilots, engineers, technicians and also assist them in scheduling their services. Besides this any other facility that might be required will be provided by the PIA.

The Tridents built by the Hawker Siddley of Britain were introduced in Pakistan in March 1966 and were operated mostly between the two wings of the country and on long routes within West Pakistan.

The FIA had bought these aircraft for about Rs two crores each. It was not disclosed at what price the aircraft were sold to China.

The decision to replace Tridents with Boeings was taken by the airline to have a uniform standard fleet and to have adequate capacity to meet the growing load factors on domestic and inter-wing routes.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2020