BEIJING: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been granted two more operating licence by Chinese authorities for Guangzhou and Xian in addition to Beijing and as a result, the national flag carrier can start schedule passenger flights for these stations.

Previously, PIA has an operating licence only for Beijing Station. Now, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has granted two more operating licences to PIA for Guangzhou and Xian Stations enabling it to start schedule passenger flights for the two cities, PIA Country Manager, Qadir Bux Sangi said on Sunday.

Now, PIA posses operating licence for Beijing, Guangzhou and Xian Stations, he told APP in an interview.

He informed that as per current standard operating procedure of CAAC, international carriers can operate one weekly flight for China. PIA is operating PK854-855 ISB-XIY-PEK-ISB by using Xian first entry point for Beijing as per CDC approval of Xian government.

“After change in current standard operating procedure of CAAC, we have an option to start our schedule flights for Guangzhou and Xian also,” he added.

Responding to a question, he said, the national flag carrier has also applied for grant of operating licence for Chengdu Station which is under approval process and hopefully, we will get its approval next month.

About cargo flights, he said that PIA has got approval from the Chinese authorities to operate chartered cargo flights for Kunming and Shenzhen while approval for Kashgar (Xinjiang) is under process. He expressed the confidence that the chartered cargo flights to different Chinese cities would help further enhance trade and economic activities between Pakistan and China.

About resumption of PIA’s weekly Islamabad-Xian-Beijing-Islamabad passenger flights, currently suspended due to Covid-19 situation, he said that the local government authorities in Xian have been requested for a permission to resume the flights to Xian as per previous schedule.

“We are waiting for the formal approval for resumption of flights so that we can facilitate the travellers from both countries,” he added.