PIA Planning to Start Flights for Sydney

[Abbas Ali]

PIA has invited bids from interested parties for the Technical Handling of airline's aircraft at Sydney Airport (SYD).

Tender notice in November 6 newspaper:



Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

PIA had planned to start once-a-week flight between Lahore and Sydney from April 2022 with Boeing 777 aircraft.

That plan was cancelled because the Australian authorities sought more time to complete review of security protocol adopted at Lahore Airport.



Abbas

[faisal-777]

Wouldnt be better to start from ISB, who is already has "ok" from British authorities, which would be more convincing for Australian authorities too?

[Amaad Lone]

Wouldnt be better to start from ISB, who is already has "ok" from British authorities, which would be more convincing for Australian authorities too?

But if most of the passengers for Australia were originating from Lahore and Karachi, why would it make sense to start from Islamabad.

Lahore a city of 10 million, Karachi a city of 15 million and Islamabad a city of 2 million. The reason UK flights are more from Islamabad is because of a large number of UK migrants belonging to Azad Kashmir, that might not be the case for Australia.

[Abbas Ali]

PIA intends to operate once-a-week flight between Lahore and Sydney with Boeing 777 aircraft.

Flight PK9806 from Lahore arrival time in Sydney 2:45 AM every Saturday.
Flight PK9807 to Lahore departure time from Sydney 9:45 AM every Sunday.

Parties interested in providing technical handling to PIA aircraft at Sydney Airport are also requested to quote rates for layover as well as 4 hours transit time.



Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

Why would you fly once a week direct on PIA, an aircraft with ZERO inflight entertainment.

When you can have multiple options on:

THAI
EMIRATES
QATAR
ETIHAD

PIA really should get over their once a week and twice a week flight schedule.

Lease a couple of A330-200 that will have the range for the Australian flights.

Fly: Karachi-Sydney 3 x weekly flights using A330-200 aircraft.

Offer connections from Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot and Peshawar.

Once a week culture has to end.

[bukhari917]

PIA intends to operate once-a-week flight between Lahore and Sydney with Boeing 777 aircraft.

Flight PK9806 from Lahore arrival time in Sydney 2:45 AM every Saturday.
Flight PK9807 to Lahore departure time from Sydney 9:45 AM every Sunday.

Parties interested in providing technical handling to PIA aircraft at Sydney Airport are also requested to quote rates for layover as well as 4 hours transit time.



Abbas

Isn't a 4 digit flight number for PIA usually a charter flight?

[arshad.altaf]

I could not agree more with Amaad Lone. Outdated aircraft(s) without functioning entertainment systems on a long-haul flight.

Also, this thinking of a once-a-week flight is a thing of the past in this day and age.

Let us hope that this does not turn into a recipe for disaster.

Good luck to PIA.

[Imran Ayub]

Why would you fly once a week direct on PIA, an aircraft with ZERO inflight entertainment.

When you can have multiple options on:

THAI
EMIRATES
QATAR
ETIHAD

PIA really should get over their once a week and twice a week flight schedule.

Lease a couple of A330-200 that will have the range for the Australian flights.

Fly: Karachi-Sydney 3 x weekly flights using A330-200 aircraft.

Offer connections from Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot and Peshawar.

Once a week culture has to end.

Absolutely, PK should focus more on the regional high density routes and have a codeshare agreement with TG for the asia pacific routes.
Having 3 hubs is not going to benifit for the conx purpose. We should have either of ISB/LHE/KHI as an international conx HUB and the remaining 2 for the domestic connections.

Now a days even the local buses are more innovative than our aviation sector. There is Wi-Fi, on board entertainment systems on intra city buses.

Aviation sector needs a revamp and proper planning.

[Amaad Lone]

bsolutely, PK should focus more on the regional high density routes and have a codeshare agreement with TG for the asia pacific routes.
Having 3 hubs is not going to benifit for the conx purpose. We should have either of ISB/LHE/KHI as an international conx HUB and the remaining 2 for the domestic connections.

You can do a Karachi hub for a few routes, not for every route.

Lahore a city of 10 million needs direct air travel access. I would do Lahore-Sydney twice a week and Karachi-Sydney twice a week, if the route could handle 1000 passengers a week.

I would never make any one city a hub, all US airlines work out of multiple hubs.

[Abbas Ali]

CEO PIA Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat in live interaction on Facebook informed:

PIA had applied for scheduled flights to/from Australia.

Australian authorities did not issue clearance because of EASA and UK DfT restrictions on PIA Europe flights.

Australian authorities will consider approving PIA flights after the airline gets clearance from EASA and UK DfT.

PIA operates Boeing 777 non-stop flights from Pakistan to Canada. Information about these PIA Boeing 777 flights was given to the Australian authorities.

PIA to resubmit its application to Australian authorities for starting Sydney flights after the airline gets favorable result of EASA audit.

PIA is determined to start flights between Pakistan and Australia.

Abbas

[Karachi Aviator]

An alternate should be to try to start flights to New Zealand and codeshare for west coast US destinations and Australian destinations. Japan is also a very good alternative.

[Abbas Ali]

Australian authorities will consider giving permission to PIA flights after the airline gets clearance from European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), this was disclosed by CEO PIA Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Amir Hayat in live interaction session with Facebook users on May 13.

After getting clearance from EASA hopefully in coming weeks, PIA intends to restart process to obtain permission from Australian authorities to start flights between Pakistan and Australia.

Abbas

[Usman123]

Any updates on the process?
Still high demand for direct flights to Australia!

[Amaad Lone]

Any updates on the process?

I am sure if there is any update you will be the first to get the news directly from the CEO.