RAWALPINDI: As part of its drive to add more aircraft to its fleet, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has acquired a second Airbus A320, which flew in from Sharjah, a spokesman for the national carrier said on Thursday.

With the latest addition, the total number of Airbus A320-built aircraft in the PIA fleet now stands at 14.

The first aircraft had already arrived in Pakistan on April 29 and is currently in service, the PIA spokesman said, adding that the process of adding new aircraft to the fleet is ongoing.

He said that PIA had tendered for the acquisition of the aircraft last year, out of which two aircraft have reached Pakistan this year and two more aircraft will reach the country in the next few days.

The aircraft will be operated on domestic, regional and Gulf routes, said the PIA spokesman. He added that the aircraft has been acquired on a six-year dry lease, at the end of which PIA may take ownership of the aircraft by mutual consent.

Post-Haj operation begins

Meanwhile, PIA started the post-Haj flight operation on Thursday with 213 Haj pilgrims onboard.

A PIA spokesman said that the first PIA flight PK740 with 213 pilgrims onboard reached Lahore, where they were welcomed and given garlands of flowers on landing. PIA Station Manager Ali Asghar Zaidi and District Manager Babar Zaman received the pilgrims at Lahore airport.

Another private airliner flight with 225 pilgrims onboard landed at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, from Jeddah on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2022