Pakistan Airlines, commonly known as Pakistan International Airlines, is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan. The airline is based in Karachi and is considered as the 31st largest airline in Asia. The airline operates to 35 destinations in Asia, Europe and North America.
Pakistan Airlines has domestic flights to over 23 destinations. The airline has main bases in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad while its secondary bases are Faisalabad International Airport and Peshawar International Airport. 87% of Pakistan Airlines is owned by the government while 13% is by share holders. The airline offers employment to 18,040 people.
In 1946, when Pakistan had not gained independence, Muhammed Ali Jinnah and Mirza Ahmed Ispahani realized the need to create a national carrier for the country. At that time, they formed the airline and named it Oriental Airways and registered it in Calcutta.
The following year, the airline bought 3 aircrafts from Texas and the same year they were granted the License to Fly. The first flights were from Kolkata to Sittwe and Kolkata to Yangon. Two months later, Pakistan Air was formed and relief flights to the new country were started.
After sometime the airline moved its base to Karachi and in 1954 flights to Dhaka were in operation. Since the airline was failing economically, the government decided to merge the airline and make it a national carrier. As a result the Pakistan International Airlines was born and the same year international flights began from Karachi to London, Heathrow Airport through Cairo.
When Boeing services were introduced, Pakistan International Airlines was the first to purchase the west leased aircraft. The airline ordered Boeing 720s, Sikorsky helicopters and Fokker F27s in 1962.
When the Boeing 747s were introduced into service, help was provided to Somali Airlines, Yemeni Air and Air Malta. Privatization plans of the airline took place in 1990s due to losses incurred but were never implemented.
Today if you choose to fly with Pakistan Airlines you will experience quality of service and comfort. The airline has stood out from the rest by being the first in many things. Some are listed below:
Pakistan Airlines is the first in the world to offer air safari with their Jet Aircraft.
- It is the first airline to operate flights to Oslo, the capital of Norway.
- It was the first airline to offer in-flight entertainment on all international routes.
- It is the first Asian airline to offer Auto ticketing services.
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