RAWALPINDI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced resumption of direct flights to Toronto, Canada.

A PIA spokesman said on Monday that Canadian officials had allowed PIA to resume flights to Toronto. Operations had earlier been restricted to cargo only on Pakistan to Canada routes due to surge in Covid-19 cases. However, other travel related advisories pertaining to Canada will remain in place, he said.

In the first phase, PIA will start three direct flights per week from Pakistan to Toronto. The airline will be following strict standard operating procedures (SOPs), the PIA chief executive officer (CEO) assured the Canadian government.

It is worth mentioning here that PIA has vaccinated its entire crew and ground staff against Covid-19 and now vaccination of all airline employees is underway. Its the first airline in the region to do so, the spokesman said.

PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik has instructed the airline officials to immediately start processing booking and purchase of tickets and it was expected that the first flight (Toronto to Pakistan) would operate on Sunday. Other flights from Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad to Toronto will also resume.

Passengers will be required to present vaccination certificates with a negative test result prior to travel. Temporary restrictions were earlier placed by Canadian authorities due to the pandemic around the world. Passengers with old and new tickets can utilise them, subject to meeting terms and conditions of travel.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2021