FAISALABAD: National Flag Carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has ensured 1.5 ton air cargo from Faisalabad to Karachi, while Faisalabad to Jeddah flights would also be made nonstop, reduce traveling time from 8 to only 5.30 hours.

District Manger PIA Qaiser Iqbal held a meeting with Syed Zia Alumdar Hussain, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) and discussed various matters relating to the PIA with a specific focus on the facility of air cargo for this export city.

Syed Zia Alumdar Hussain appreciated the efforts of Chairman PIA Air Marshal Arshad Mehmood Malik to fully exploit the passenger as well as cargo potential of this city.

He assured that FCCI will extend full cooperation to the National Flag Carrier to make it leading and most profitable airlines of the world.

He appreciated the facility to accommodate 1.5 ton air cargo in existing PIA flights from Faisalabad to Karachi from where it would be forwarded to other international destinations.

He said that according to conservative estimates, air cargo available from Faisalabad is around one thousand ton.

Out of it only 400 ton is directly exported through Faisalabad airport while remaining load is routed through Lahore and Sialkot airports.

He said that the allocation of 1.5 tons quota from Faisalabad is a positive sign which will help PIA assess the availability of air cargo with projected increase in it in the coming days. "It will certainly help PIA to enhance more space for air cargo leading to start a dedicated freight flights from Faisalabad", he added.

He said, "Currently 500,000 people travel from Faisalabad Airport and we are expecting that their numbers will jump to 800,000 within couple of years."

Qaiser Iqbal said that Faisalabad to Jeddah flights have to stay for one and half an hour at Karachi for refueling.

However, now arrangements are being made to make these flights direct and non-stop. It will trim down the traveling time from 8 hours to 5.30 hours, he added.

Syed Zia Alumdar Hussain appreciated the steps taken by new management of the PIA and demanded that PIA should now start direct flights from Faisalabad to Dubai and London as sufficient passenger load from Faisalabad is available for these international destinations.