BEIJING: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has introduced connected flights between Pakistan and 16 captivating cities of China via Beijing in partnership with Air China, PIA Country Manager, Bilal Afzal said on Sunday.

These Chinese cities include Guangzhou, Wuhan, Urumqi, Shenzhen, Xian, Shenyang, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nanjing, Harbin, Hangzhou, Hohhot, Dunhuang, Chengdu, Changchun, and Chongqing, he told APP on the sidelines of China International Fair for Trade in Service (CIFTIS) in Beijing.

PIA has set up a booth in Pakistan Pavilion at CIFTIS to showcase its accomplishments, particularly the role played by the national flag carrier to promote people-to-people contacts between the people of Pakistan and China.

He said that the passengers could also travel from 16 cities in China to Islamabad by availing of this offer.

“PIA is currently operating one weekly flight on the Islamabad-Beijing-Islamabad route every Sunday but working on a plan to add a new direct flight between the two countries.”

About discounts, he said, “PIA offers a 20 percent discount for students with free baggage of 80 kgs for economy class and 100 kgs for executive economy respectively on flights between Pakistan and China.”

“The passengers can avail further discounts if tickets are purchased online,” he said.

“We have also offered discounts on cargo from China to Pakistan and vice versa and businessmen and traders could benefit from it,” he added.

“Pakistani community especially businessmen and students living in China have expressed pleasure over discounts.”

Talking to APP, Ali Imran, a Pakistani educationist in Hangzhou said, “The connected flights to different destinations in China are a big relief and it provides great convenience to the passengers travelling between the two brotherly countries.”

He said that the discount on fare and cargo service would greatly facilitate Pakistani professionals and students to meet their families more frequently.