PIA Invites Bids to Acquire Up to Eight Narrow-body Aircraft on Dry Lease for Six Years

[Hassan777]

I think it is safe to say, given the current state of PIA IFE, that there would be no IFE on whatever aircraft PIA decides to induct. Even if the IFE was working, there is no real need for it on domestic routes, is there?

Not much on Domestic routes but PIA operated their a320 on longer flights like to KSA and UAE where one might feel the absence of it but where it really is needed is if PIA decides to get the A321-NEO too which can perform medium hauls, it won’t be a bad decision as it has a range of 7,400 KM it can easily fly routes like Kararchi-Tokyo where the larger 777s were unprofitable.

[Flyer1015]

Amazing. Not a single change after PIA 8303. Just order more planes.

[Amaad Lone]

The A321-251N would be perfect for routes like Islamabad-Tokyo, a long flight for the narrow body but might be feasible as a nonstop option thrice a week taking out the Beijing stopover.

12/183 layout not suitable for a 7-8 hour flight, so might be better to do a 12/170 take out two rows and give more legroom for the long flight.

TAP has 156 seats in economy for their long haul A321-LRs.

a fuel efficent option, but lease payments are going to be high.

[Abbas Ali]

PIA Board of Directors' meeting today expected to make decision on acquisition of eight narrow-body aircraft on dry lease for the airline for six years.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

According PIA financial evaluation report of submitted bids, most advantageous bidders are Seraph, GECAS and SMBC. These companies have offered Airbus A320-200 aircraft powered with CFM International engines.

Airbus A320-200 aircraft offered by Seraph

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 7784
Year Built: 2017
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: Interjet
Last Known Registration: XA-UNO
Offered by: Seraph

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 7792
Year Built: 2017
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: Interjet
Last Known Registration: XA-FUN
Offered by: Seraph

Airbus A320-200 aircraft offered by GECAS

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 5152
Year Built: 2012
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: MEA
Last Known Registration: T7-MRB
Offered by: GECAS

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 5162
Year Built: 2012
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: MEA
Last Known Registration: T7-MRA
Offered by: GECAS

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 5253
Year Built: 2012
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: MEA
Last Known Registration: T7-MRC
Offered by: GECAS

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 5746
Year Built: 2013
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: MEA
Last Known Registration: T7-MRD
Offered by: GECAS

Airbus A320-200 aircraft offered by SMBC

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 5874
Year Built: 2013
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: Peach Aviation
Last Known Registration: JA811P
Offered by: SMBC

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 6862
Year Built: 2015
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: Avianca
Last Known Registration: N748AV
Offered by: SMBC

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 7120
Year Built: 2016
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: Avianca
Last Known Registration: N750AV
Offered by: SMBC

Info source: PIA

Abbas

[GEnx]

So no plan to induct A320neo/A321neo? PIA might never be able to get neo variants later. Due to massive vaccination campaigns being carried out, air travel is expected to recover sharply. The lease rates may go higher. The neo would have offered not only better fuel economy, but also increased range. This was the perfect time to switch towards neo variant.

[t-rehman]

So no plan to induct A320neo/A321neo? PIA might never be able to get neo variants later. Due to massive vaccination campaigns being carried out, air travel is expected to recover sharply. The lease rates may go higher. The neo would have offered not only better fuel economy, but also increased range. This was the perfect time to switch towards neo variant.

Totally agree with you

[gooner]

So no plan to induct A320neo/A321neo? PIA might never be able to get neo variants later. Due to massive vaccination campaigns being carried out, air travel is expected to recover sharply. The lease rates may go higher. The neo would have offered not only better fuel economy, but also increased range. This was the perfect time to switch towards neo variant.

!00% agreed. Don't know what's stopping them from acquiring the neo variants.
Also, I'm surprised that the A220s were not even considered by PIA.

[murtaza12]

So no plan to induct A320neo/A321neo? PIA might never be able to get neo variants later. Due to massive vaccination campaigns being carried out, air travel is expected to recover sharply. The lease rates may go higher. The neo would have offered not only better fuel economy, but also increased range. This was the perfect time to switch towards neo variant.

!00% agreed. Don't know what's stopping them from acquiring the neo variants.
Also, I'm surprised that the A220s were not even considered by PIA.

Not sure if A220 has the same type-rating as A319/20/21 family. If it doesn't, it means PIA pilots would have to get training for the A220 which is an additional cost.

[Inam855]

All great suggestions, but there is a thing called "money" behind fleet renewals - which we don't have. The next 5 years will be some of the toughest budgets GoP has ever made, they are not even increasing public spending how can one justify A321 neos? You all talk of foresight and sustainability as if that is actually a thing in Pakistani c level executives, the way some of this country's top corporations are run will give you nightmares. Priorities are internal politics, perks after retirement and free travel for life, airline can go to hell.

[GEnx]

All great suggestions, but there is a thing called "money" behind fleet renewals - which we don't have. The next 5 years will be some of the toughest budgets GoP has ever made, they are not even increasing public spending how can one justify A321 neos? You all talk of foresight and sustainability as if that is actually a thing in Pakistani c level executives, the way some of this country's top corporations are run will give you nightmares. Priorities are internal politics, perks after retirement and free travel for life, airline can go to hell.

I am sorry but your statement would be really justified if it were for the B787s or the A350s. Neo is the most economical option for PIA. The staff is trained and the A321neoLR is a perfect aircraft for PIA post Covid-19. PIA should have introduced A320neos now and aimed to induct A321LR/XLR in next 5 years. Going with these A320s now means we are again stuck with this poor fleet composition of having A320s and B777s. The same problem for the next 6 years where your are not flying B777s to Beijing, EU destinations because of the demand, but because your second largest aircraft (A320) does not have the legs to cover these routes. Considering the impact of Covid-19 on air travel industry, which routes can PIA fly its B777s on in post Covid-19 recovery times? Air travel will take at least 3 more years to rise up to 2019 levels. Really poor fleet planning.

[gooner]

All great suggestions, but there is a thing called "money" behind fleet renewals - which we don't have. The next 5 years will be some of the toughest budgets GoP has ever made, they are not even increasing public spending how can one justify A321 neos? You all talk of foresight and sustainability as if that is actually a thing in Pakistani c level executives, the way some of this country's top corporations are run will give you nightmares. Priorities are internal politics, perks after retirement and free travel for life, airline can go to hell.

We're comparing aircrafts within the same category. No doubt that the 320neo would have a higher lease cost but it is a much more fuel efficient plane than its predecessor. The whole idea of fleet renewal is to induct newer, more fuel efficient planes that suit the market demand.

[Abbas Ali]

Ireland based Seraph Aviation Group has to deliver two Airbus A320 aircraft on dry lease to PIA in July and August 2021.

Airbus A320-200 aircraft offered by Seraph

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 7784
Year Built: 2017
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: Interjet
Last Known Registration: XA-UNO
Offered by: Seraph

Aircraft seen stored under Austrian registration OE-IOR at Phoenix Goodyear Airport, USA, on March 5, 2021.

OE-IOR by planesguy, on Flickr

Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-200
Construction Number: 7792
Year Built: 2017
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
Last Known Operator: Interjet
Last Known Registration: XA-FUN
Offered by: Seraph

Aircraft seen stored under Austrian registration OE-IOT at Phoenix Goodyear Airport, USA, on March 5, 2021.

OE-IOT by planesguy, on Flickr

Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

I hope PIA can change its livery starting with these two aircraft.

A euro white livery with PIA on the green tail and PAKISTAN on the fusalage can be the simple livery until something better is designed.

The gold and green stripe livery should be phased out

[A35K]

[/quote]

I hope PIA can change its livery starting with these two aircraft.

A euro white livery with PIA on the green tail and PAKISTAN on the fusalage can be the simple livery until something better is designed.

The gold and green stripe livery should be phased out

I hope to god they don't change it. There is nothing more frustrating to see aircraft of the same airline with wearing different livery!

Current livery is perfectly fine and if applied properly looks rather elegant as in the case of following two aircraft.

B777

AP-BGY by Darcy Stevens, on Flickr

A320


Source: jetphotos.com




On a slightly different topic - since PIA never took up AP-BMY could the registration be reused on one of the new A320s?