Pakistan International Airline (PIA) through its first relief flight brought 179 stranded passengers in Pakistan from the US.
The US has allowed PIA to operate 12 direct flights for its relief operations from April 29, 2020.
The national flag carrier, which had stopped its operations to the US in October 2017, used to operate flights to the US with a mandatory stopover on TSA cleared airports in UK or Europe for security clearance. This is the first time that PIA has been allowed to operate direct flights. The direct flights authorization comes after a series of TSA team visits to Pakistan examining preparedness of the country's airports and overall airline's security apparatus and procedures.
After having special permission to operate direct flights to the US to repatriate stranded Pakistanis, PIA has brought 179 stranded passengers in Pakistan through its first relief flight from Washington D.C. (IAD). Another special flight will also be operated from Washington D.C. (IAD) to Karachi (KHI) on May, 13 2020. The PIA has planned to operate flights from Newark Airport, New Jersey for Lahore but the dates of these flights are expected to be announced in coming days. In addition, three more flights will also be operated from US, which dates, cities of origin and destinations in Pakistan will be announced in due course of time.
PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik said that PIA would always make efforts to serve the nation and would leave no stone unturned to fulfil its obligation towards national service, including bringing home all the stranded citizens abroad.
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