Pakistan International Airlines
(Urdu: پاکستان بین الاقوامی ایئر لائنز), commonly known as PIA, is the flag carrierairline of Pakistan.Jinnah International Airport in Karachi,Its main bases are at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad/Rawalpindi. PIA has been ranked as a 3-star airline by Skytrax, the world's official airline and airport reviewer.The airline's secondary bases include Peshawar, Faisalabad, Quetta, Sialkot and Multan, from which it connects the metropolitan cities with the main bases, the Middle East and the Far East. The airline is owned by the Government of Pakistan (87%) and other shareholders (13%). It employed 18,043 people as of May 2008 The airline, with its head office on the grounds of operates scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 39 international destinations in 25 countries across Asia, Europe and North America.
'Pakistan International Airlines', or 'PIA' for short, can trace its beginnings to the days when Pakistan was not a nation, rather a region of British India. In 1946 Muhammed Ali Jinnah realised the need for an airline network for the forming country and called upon the help of an industrialist Mirza Ahmad Ispahani to develop a flag carrier for the nation. Meanwhile, an airline called 'Orient Airways', registered in Calcutta, was formed on 23 October 1946. In February 1947, the airline brought three DC-3 airplanes from a company in Texas, and in May of that year the airline was granted a licence to fly. Services were started in June from Kolkata to Sittwe and Yangon. This was the first post-war airline flight by a South Asian registered airline company.[citation needed] Two months after this service began, Pakistan was formed. Orient Airways began relief flights to the new nation and, soon after, it moved its operations to Karachi, where it began flights to Dhaka on 7 June 1954. In addition, the first two domestic routes in Pakistan were established, from Karachi to Lahore to Peshawar, and from Karachi to Quetta to Lahore.
The Government of Pakistan, realizing the operation was failing economically, proposed that Orient Airways merge into a new national airline. On 11 March 1955, Orient Airways merged with the government's proposed airline, becoming 'Pakistan International Airlines Corporation'. During the same year the airline opened its first international service, from Karachi to London Heathrow Airport[6] via Cairo International Airport and Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino, Italy, using three newly-acquired Lockheed L-1049C Super Constellations. The DC-3s continued operating the domestic services in Pakistan. In May 1956, PIA ordered two further Super Lockheed Constellations of the latest L-1049H version and five Vickers Viscount 815. In 1959, Malik Nur Khan was named Managing Director.
In March 1960, PIA became the first Asian airline to use jet aircraft when Boeing 707 services were introduced. [7] The aircraft were wet leased from Pan American and in 1961 services were begun to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. In 1962, orders were placed for Boeing 720s, Fokker F27s and Sikorsky helicopters. One of PIA's Boeing 720s broke a world record that year, when it flew from London to Karachi non-stop in 6 hours and 43 minutes and 51 seconds[7] during its delivery flight[citation needed]from Seattle, piloted by PIA's senior Captain Abdullah Baig, a record unbroken to this day.[7] During 1962, services to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) were proving to be difficult, therefore PIA placed their Sikorsky S-61 helicopters on these routes until 1966 when conditions improved. In 1964 PIA became the first airline from a non-communist country to fly to the People's Republic of China.[7] As the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 broke out, PIA helped the Pakistani Armed Forces with logistics and transport. In 1966, the Viscounts were phased out, substituted by four Hawker Siddeley Tridents. However, as growth surpassed the need for these aircraft, they were later sold to Civil Aviation Administration of China.
The 1970s saw the resumption of transatlantic flights and new destinations. It once again aided the Pakistan Army by transporting soldiers to East Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971[8] and lost a couple of its aircraft to Indian Air Force fighters.[9] In 1972 it applied to operate to Libya and an agreement was signed with Yugoslav airline JAT. In 1973, McDonnell Douglas DC-10s arrived and were used by the airline before they were replaced by Boeing 707-300s. In 1974 air freight services started, as well as a cargo service to New York City under the name, 'Pakistan International Cargo'. In 1975, PIA introduced new uniforms for air hostesses. These uniforms were chosen through an open competition, the winning entry was a design by Sir Hardy Amies who was designer to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In 1976, leased Boeing 747-200Bs came into service. In 1979, the airline bought their first Boeing 747-200BM aircraft. Also in 1978 the airline provided help to Somali Airlines, Air Malta and Yemenia and established a hotel management service in the United Arab Emirates. PIA leased two of its own Boeing 720s to Air Malta during the 70s.
In March 1960, PIA became the first Asian airline to use jet aircraft when Boeing 707 services were introduced. [7] The aircraft were wet leased from Pan American and in 1961 services were begun to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. In 1962, orders were placed for Boeing 720s, Fokker F27s and Sikorsky helicopters. One of PIA's Boeing 720s broke a world record that year, when it flew from London to Karachi non-stop in 6 hours and 43 minutes and 51 seconds[7] during its delivery flight[citation needed]from Seattle, piloted by PIA's senior Captain Abdullah Baig, a record unbroken to this day.[7] During 1962, services to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) were proving to be difficult, therefore PIA placed their Sikorsky S-61 helicopters on these routes until 1966 when conditions improved. In 1964 PIA became the first airline from a non-communist country to fly to the People's Republic of China.[7] As the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 broke out, PIA helped the Pakistani Armed Forces with logistics and transport. In 1966, the Viscounts were phased out, substituted by four Hawker Siddeley Tridents. However, as growth surpassed the need for these aircraft, they were later sold to Civil Aviation Administration of China.
The 1970s saw the resumption of transatlantic flights and new destinations. It once again aided the Pakistan Army by transporting soldiers to East Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971[8] and lost a couple of its aircraft to Indian Air Force fighters.[9] In 1972 it applied to operate to Libya and an agreement was signed with Yugoslav airline JAT. In 1973, McDonnell Douglas DC-10s arrived and were used by the airline before they were replaced by Boeing 707-300s. In 1974 air freight services started, as well as a cargo service to New York City under the name, 'Pakistan International Cargo'. In 1975, PIA introduced new uniforms for air hostesses. These uniforms were chosen through an open competition, the winning entry was a design by Sir Hardy Amies who was designer to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In 1976, leased Boeing 747-200Bs came into service. In 1979, the airline bought their first Boeing 747-200BM aircraft. Also in 1978 the airline provided help to Somali Airlines, Air Malta and Yemenia and established a hotel management service in the United Arab Emirates. PIA leased two of its own Boeing 720s to Air Malta during the 70s.
The 1980s began with the opening of a cargo centre in Karachi and the delivery of a new aircraft, Airbus A300B4-203. In 1981, a duty-free sales service was inaugurated. During 1982, the first C and D checks were carried out on the fleet in Karachi. In 1984, domestic night coach fare service was introduced to offer lower prices for low-income passengers. In 1985 the PIA Planetarium tourist attraction was inaugurated in Karachi and later in Lahore. In the same year, five Boeing 737-300s joined the fleet making PIA the first Asian operator of such a type. Two former PIA Boeing 720Bs now form part of the Planetarium's exhibition at Karachi and Lahore. In late 1987 and early 1988, flights were introduced to Malé and to Toronto Pearson International Airport, respectively. In 1989, the first women pilots started their career on passenger airplanes.
During June 1991, PIA received the first of six Airbus A310-300 aircraft on from Airbus Industrie. In 1992, flights started to Tashkent and in 1993, to Zürich, Switzerland. In addition, PIA became a user of the Sabre, Galileo and Amadeus global distribution systems. During 1994, PIA added Jakarta, Fujairah, Baku and Al-Ain to its destinations. Air Safari flights were launched in the same year using Boeing 737–300 aircraft over the Karakoram mountains. In 1995, PIA received a Boeing 747 flight simulation system and a used Air France A300 aircraft was bought. In 1996 the airline leased Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft, and re-opened services to Beirut.
PIA only used the Tupolev Tu-154 for a short time to deal with the demand during the summer of 1996. In 1999, PIA leased five Boeing 747–300 aircraft from Cathay Pacific to replace its aging Boeing 747-200M fleet. The aircraft wore a new livery with a handwork Pashmina tail on white body and large Pakistan titles on the front fuselage. The livery was applied to some of the fleet during the 90s but due to copyright problems the livery was dropped. The Boeing 747-300s remained in the new look but with a plain green tail with PIA titles. The other aircraft in the fleet were repainted in the 1990s livery.
During June 1991, PIA received the first of six Airbus A310-300 aircraft on from Airbus Industrie. In 1992, flights started to Tashkent and in 1993, to Zürich, Switzerland. In addition, PIA became a user of the Sabre, Galileo and Amadeus global distribution systems. During 1994, PIA added Jakarta, Fujairah, Baku and Al-Ain to its destinations. Air Safari flights were launched in the same year using Boeing 737–300 aircraft over the Karakoram mountains. In 1995, PIA received a Boeing 747 flight simulation system and a used Air France A300 aircraft was bought. In 1996 the airline leased Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft, and re-opened services to Beirut.
PIA only used the Tupolev Tu-154 for a short time to deal with the demand during the summer of 1996. In 1999, PIA leased five Boeing 747–300 aircraft from Cathay Pacific to replace its aging Boeing 747-200M fleet. The aircraft wore a new livery with a handwork Pashmina tail on white body and large Pakistan titles on the front fuselage. The livery was applied to some of the fleet during the 90s but due to copyright problems the livery was dropped. The Boeing 747-300s remained in the new look but with a plain green tail with PIA titles. The other aircraft in the fleet were repainted in the 1990s livery.
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