PIA to Use Airbus A320 for a Number of Saudi Arabia Flights Due to Boeing 777s Undergoing Maintenance

[Abbas Ali]

A PIA Airbus A320.

A number of Boeing 777 aircraft in PIA fleet are undergoing maintenance work, resulting in only three Boeing 777 aircraft being operational at this time.

A number of PIA flights to/from Saudi Arabia that were to be operated with Boeing 777 wide-body aircraft will now be operated with Airbus A320 narrow-body aircraft till June 15, 2024.

PIA Airbus A320 flights between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will be operated with augmented crew. These flights can be operated with crew duty time for up to 18 hours, if necessary.



Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Apparently, three PIA Boeing 777 aircraft available for Saudi Arabia flights are Boeing 777-200ER aircraft registrations AP-BGJ, AP-BGK & AP-BHX.

PIA Boeing 777-200LR aircraft registration AP-BGY also performed a number of flights between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in recent days.

PIA Boeing 777 fleet status:

Boeing 777-200ER

Active:

AP-BGJ
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bgj

AP-BGK
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bgk

AP-BHX
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bhx

In-active:

AP-BGL
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bgl

AP-BMG
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bmg

AP-BMH
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bmh

Boeing 777-200LR

Active:

AP-BGY
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bgy

In-active:

AP-BGZ
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bgz

Boeing 777-300ER

In-Active:

AP-BHV (in-active since arriving in Karachi at 5:59 AM as flight PK744 from Medina on April 11)
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bhv

AP-BHW
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bhw

AP-BID
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bid

AP-BMS
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ap-bms

Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

Why not buy a few older GE engines for the 777 fleet and keep the aircraft flying.

By not investing in engines they are grounding precious fleet.

AP-BGZ just done with heavy checks why is it grounded?? Obviously PIA has run out of engines.

[Karachi Aviator]

Why not buy a few older GE engines for the 777 fleet and keep the aircraft flying.

By not investing in engines they are grounding precious fleet.

AP-BGZ just done with heavy checks why is it grounded?? Obviously PIA has run out of engines.

Apparently BGZ has had it's engine cycles completed and is waiting for replacement or new engines.

They did float tenders for 'leasing' boeing 777 engines which indicates that they have ran out of money and can't purchase. Leasing might be more suitable at this point who knows.

[Abbas Ali]

According to news reports:


Urdu daily "Ausaf" (April 16, 2024, edition)

On April 15, a PIA narrow-body Airbus A320 (aircraft registration AP-BON) instead of a wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft performed airline's Jeddah to Lahore flight PK860. Dozens of passengers were left in Jeddah due to aircraft change/equipment downgrade. Boeing 777 Business Class passengers also had to travel in Economy Class of Airbus A320.


Source: flightradar24.com

Previous PIA Jeddah to Lahore flights PK860 were performed by airline's Boeing 777-200ER/LR aircraft.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/pk860

Abbas