PIA receives approval to operate Boeing 787 aircraft in Pakistan for the first time

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has received clearance to operate its first Boeing 787 aircraft in Pakistan after completing its inspection at Oslo Airport, marking a significant development for the national carrier.

According to sources, a delegation led by Civil Aviation Authority Director General Nader Shafi Dar inspected the aircraft and approved it for operations. The second aircraft will be inspected at Oslo Airport, while the third is scheduled for inspection at London Airport on November 20.

PIA is set to launch its first Boeing 787 flight, PK-786, from London to Islamabad on October 31, with the aircraft expected to arrive in Pakistan on November 1. The aircraft can accommodate 358 passengers, and the airline will also introduce a new uniform on October 31.

Meanwhile, flight operations to Riyadh have faced disruptions, with a Fly Jinnah flight on the Lahore–Karachi–Riyadh route cancelled, while Flynas cancelled flights from Karachi to Madinah and Riyadh due to technical reasons.

Other flights to Madinah and Jeddah from major Pakistani cities continue to operate as scheduled, while special facilitation counters have been established at major airports to assist affected passengers.

The disruptions come amid reports of a Houthi attack on Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday, which Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300. The attack was described as the kingdom’s deadliest in more than a decade.