PIA commences fleet rebuilding, two aircrafts to arrive in January

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has started rebuilding its fleet following privatisation, with two Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft being inducted into its fleet, while two additional relatively newer aircraft are expected to arrive in January 2027.

A General Manager of PIA informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Privatisation informally that one Boeing 787 Dreamliner had already arrived, while the second aircraft was initially scheduled to arrive on December 15, 2026.

He said the airline had also arranged two additional aircraft, aged around seven to eight years, which would join its fleet in January 2027. These aircraft are considerably newer than the ageing aircraft previously operated by the national flag carrier, many of which were more than two decades old.

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The PIA official said the airline was working to restore its operational capacity and improve services following privatisation, adding that additional grounded aircraft would also be brought back into operation as engines became available from international suppliers.

Secretary Privatisation Usman Bajwa informed the committee that passenger feedback on PIA’s flights to the United Kingdom, particularly regarding flight timings and food quality, had been encouraging.

He added that PIA would also launch direct flights from Karachi to London from March 2027 as part of its route expansion strategy.

During the meeting, PPP MNA Sehar Kamran requested the PIA General Manager to arrange a visit of the committee members to Islamabad International Airport to witness the landing and departure of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

“We do not ask for free tickets, but arrange a visit to witness the landing and departure of the Dreamliner,” she said.

Chairman of the Standing Committee Dr Farooq Sattar directed the PIA General Manager to arrange the proposed visit to Islamabad Airport, which is also on the active privatisation list and is proposed to be handed over to the private sector on a management basis.

Responding to a question regarding the airline’s operational fleet, the PIA General Manager said that at the time of privatisation, 15 aircraft were operational while 16 were grounded.

He said the number of operational aircraft had now increased to 17-18, while 14 aircraft remained grounded. These would gradually be restored to service as engines and other necessary resources became available from international suppliers.

Secretary Privatisation Usman Bajwa observed that the government had allowed 16 aircraft to remain grounded over the past 40 years, whereas the private sector had started bringing these aircraft back into operation.

The PIA General Manager also said that the airline would expand its flight network after restoring additional aircraft to operational condition, which would help improve connectivity and increase its market presence.

The committee also raised concerns over comparatively higher ticket prices charged by PIA against other domestic airlines.

The General Manager explained that airfares largely depended on demand and supply conditions, acknowledging that PIA tickets were sometimes Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 more expensive than those of competing airlines.

“I admit that sometimes prices of PIA tickets are higher by Rs2,000 to Rs3,000, but it all depends on demand and supply,” he said.

He added that the airline would have to remain competitive to survive in the aviation market, warning that failure to compete with other airlines could threaten its future operations.

On the issue of higher ticket prices, Secretary Privatisation Usman Bajwa attributed part of the pressure to a substantial increase in refinery margins, which, he said, had also pushed up jet fuel prices.

Meanwhile, there was controversy over the absence of government members during the meeting.

According to a press release issued by the PPP Media Cell, no PML-N member attended the Standing Committee meeting, with only Chairman Dr Farooq Sattar and three PPP members present.

The PPP claimed that the committee lacked quorum and, therefore, could not proceed with its scheduled business, despite the presence of concerned government officials.

The party said its members had travelled from their constituencies and arrived prepared for the meeting, while officials were also present. However, briefing materials were delayed and previous committee recommendations remained unimplemented.

The PPP described the absence of government members as disregard for parliamentary proceedings, alleging that the repeated suspension of National Assembly proceedings due to lack of quorum, coupled with the absence of government members from standing committees, was undermining parliamentary oversight.

It further alleged that the deliberate absence of government members appeared to be an attempt to render Parliament ineffective.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026