KARACHI: Resuming more flight operations in order to promote local tourism as well as due to limited international operation in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to operate flights to the Saidu Sharif Airport in Swat.
The airport that was closed in 2004 owing to the precarious security situation will be made operational. The national flag carrier will operate a test flight to the airport using an ATR aircraft in the last week of this month, the PIA said and called for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to make arrangements in this regard.
The required development work at the Saidu Sharif airport has been carried out.
A CAA official said that the airport has been non-operational for a long time and will be re-opened following an approval of the federal government. He said the airport’s runway has been readied for flights to land and take off.
Earlier on Monday last, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed flight operations between Islamabad and Chitral that had been suspended for one-and-a-half years due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The PIA spokesperson announced that Rs5,920 will be charged for
PIA decides to restart flights to Saidu Sharif after a gap of 17 years
one-side trip. For Chitral, two flights will be operated from Islamabad twice a week, said the PIA spokesperson, adding that the resumption of the flight op on the Chitral Sector will promote tourism.
Moreover, it was also announced that two more flights have been increased from Karachi to Sialkot by the PIA in order to facilitate passengers and businesspersons. The national airline will now run four flights in a week to Sialkot and Rs7,500 will be charged for one-side trip.
On March 5, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had resumed its flight services between Lahore and Islamabad as the first flight flew from the Punjab provincial capital towards the federal capital today.
After months-long flight suspension between Lahore and Islamabad due to the rising cases of coronavirus, the first flight had been operated by the national carrier between the cities. The airline will operate flights between Lahore and Islamabad thrice a week. – TLTP