Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to operate Boeing 777 aircraft, instead of recently acquired Airbus A-330 from Sri Lankan Airlines on wet-lease basis, on its premier service to London from today (Feb 9). The national flag carrier stated that as per national aviation policy an aircraft could not be wet-leased for more than six months. Accordingly, PIA's agreement with Sri Lankan Airlines for wet-lease of one Airbus A330 is going to expire on Feb 9, 2017.
Following PPRA rules, PIA has already shortlisted the aircraft offered against a recent tender for wet lease which is planned to be inducted in the later part of the current month after completion of regulatory formalities and till the arrival of shortlisted aircraft, PIA's flights to London will be operated by PIA's Boeing 777 aircraft.
Needless to mention, this wet-lease aircraft had cost heavily to the airline, which had paid over Rs 2.5 billion as rent of aircraft (US$8100 per hour for guaranteed hours) that led to a colossal operating loss of over Rs 3bn during six months of PIA's much-hyped premier service.
With high expectations from this service, the PIA management had also made plans to compete with the other five-star and four-star airlines, but all such plans could not succeed as the premier service's financial loss put the stakeholders in uncomfortable zone, besides dispiriting the management.
There are six weekly premier service flights to London - three each from Islamabad and Lahore -, which will now be operated by Boeing 777 aircraft from today (Thursday). This wet-leased aircraft is equipped with LCD screens and in-flight entertainment with 250 channels along with flat-bed service for Business Class passengers.