The federal government on Wednesday decided to extend suspension of all types of domestic scheduled/non-scheduled, chartered, private aircraft and general aviation operations with effect from Thursday 2nd of April to 11th of April 2020.
However, domestic flight operations to/from Islamabad International Airport for Gilgit and Skardu will continue as normal operations.
The only exemption to the above would be cargo and special flights subject to necessary clearance.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is likely to seek a support package of Rs10 billion from the federal government as it has suspended flight operations globally in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, sources said.
Sources maintained that the national flag carrier was following the directives of the National Security Committee (NSC). On the directives of the high-level forum, the PIA immediately suspended flight operations worldwide.
Sources at the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) said that the receivables of the company against PIA had reached Rs19 billion. The PSO management is asking PIA to clear its dues.
A spokesman for PIA said that the financial losses of other international airlines were bigger in volume as compared with PIA. All other airlines are running on cash flow as they all lease airlines from companies or other airliners.
However, he said Pakistan had owned eight out of 12 Boeing 777s and other passenger aircraft. Recently, PIA was allowed to facilitate Canadian nationals with two special repatriation flights for Toronto on the request of the Canadian government.
Decision to allow special flights for the UK is pending with the NSC. "We (PIA) are ready to carry [out] any kind of flight operation according to the directives of [the] NSC," the spokesman told the Business Recorder.
Responding to a question regarding PIA special flights for repatriation of Pakistanis stranded in other countries, he said that the NSC might allow to use charter flights for Canada to fly Pakistanis back home. He further said that PIA flights for UK were not yet firmed up as a decision had been pending with the NSC.
When it is allowed, we would immediately start operating the flights. The authorities are considering running three commercial flights to the UK from April 4 after the completion of necessary protective measures. On March 28, addressing media, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Division Dr Moeed Yusuf had said that international flights to the country were banned till 4th April and there would also be "prohibition for flights leaving the country for abroad from March 29". Dr Yusuf said arrangements had been made for Pakistanis stranded at various international airports.
He said all the Pakistanis had either flown back, or the countries of their stay had extended their visas, and they were staying there for sometime.
He said there was an exemption if a country wanted to get their people back there "we will have one to one talk with them and will make the arrangements accordingly".