RAWALPINDI, Jan 22: Pakistan International Airlines' first Boeing 777 will land at the Islamabad International Airport on January 31, the airline's spokesman, Imran Gardezi, said on Thursday.

The new jet will be handed over to the airline at a ceremony in Seattle on January 29. On its way to Pakistan the plane will make a stopover in London. Two hundred commercial passengers will board the plane from London's Heathrow Airport. The 777 would then land at Islamabad airport on January 31 at 6:20am as PK- 7862.

It is being expected that some high ranking dignitary will receive the flight. In view of this, arrangements are being made to park the plane at Chaklala Airbase.

The airbase, it is being said, is fully capable of handling wide body aircraft as in the past VC-10 and 747 jets of visiting dignitaries have landed there.