Take-off for Scotland's first link to South Asia
16 November 2005
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK778 will leave Glasgow this evening for the city of Lahore, one of two new services being launched this week by the Pakistani flag carrier. From Saturday, PIA will also fly weekly from Glasgow to the capital Islamabad. Both services will operate via the Gulf city of Dubai.
Dignitaries from the local Pakistani community, including MP Mohammed Sarwar, will gather at Glasgow Airport tonight to celebrate the launch of the sell-out inaugural flight to Lahore.
The Airbus A310 will leave Glasgow at 6.45pm with 184 passengers.
Both services have been supported by BAA Scotland's £95 million Route Development Fund, launched in 2002 in a bid to attract new international airlines to Scotland. BAA Scotland is the parent company of Glasgow Airport.
Stephen Baxter, managing director of Glasgow Airport said: "Glasgow is proud of its links with Pakistan. Generations of Pakistanis have made their home in Glasgow, adding to the diversity and richness of our city. I have no doubt they, and their friends and family in Pakistan, will make good use of these new services."
Tariq Bukhari, PIA's UK general manager, said: "Glasgow has long been part of our expansion plans, and so we are delighted to offer the first flights from Scotland to Pakistan. The initial response from our customers has been extremely positive and we are very confident that these services will prove popular with passengers both here and in Pakistan. There is a strong bond between the people of Glasgow and Pakistan and we hope our presence in Scotland will help cement that bond further"
The new services were also welcomed by prominent members of the Pakistani community in Glasgow.
Glasgow City Councillor, Hanzala Malik, said: "The development of the new Pakistan International Airline link reflects the strong, and growing links, between Scotland and Pakistan and the strength of the relationship which myself and the Mayor Of Lahore have created between our two cities. The proposal by the two Councils to form a town twinning link based firmly on cultural, education and international trade links - will be made that much easier by the new air service. Over the next few years we can therefore now look forward to more of our businesses trading together."
Glasgow Central MP Mohammed Sarwar added: "I know how delighted the whole community is at the launch of this great new service from Glasgow Airport. We will be able to forge better links between the two nations of Scotland and Pakistan, particularly the important trade links developing between Glasgow and cities in Pakistan."
"Following the recent earthquake in the region, it has been very important for Scottish Pakistanis to make contact with family and friends in badly affected areas of Kashmir and Pakistan. The new direct flights will help reinforce that support for people in Pakistan at this important time."
The PIA flights to Lahore via Dubai, leave Glasgow at 1845 every Wednesday, arriving in Pakistan the following day. The in-bound Wednesday flight leaves Lahore at 1245, arriving in Glasgow at 1700.
The second service, to Islamabad via Dubai, leaves Glasgow at 2130 every Saturday, arriving in Pakistan at 1415 on the Sunday. The in-bound flight leaves Islamabad at 1215 and arrives in Glasgow 1945 on a Saturday evening.
PIA offers a three class cabin with Economy, Economy + and Business Class tickets available. Passengers can book online at
www.piac.com.pk or by calling 0800 587 102
Source: BAA
