Pakistan: PIA gets operating licence for Guangzhou, Xian in China

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Sunday was granted an operating licence for Guangzhou and Xian in China.

Earlier it had licence only for Beijing, Pakistani flag carrier PIA can now start scheduling passenger flights to and from the above mentioned two cities, reported Geo News.

Meanwhile, PIA's country manager Qadir Bux Sangi said that it has applied for the acquisition of an operating licence for Chengdu Station in China.

He said that as per the current standard operating procedure of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), international carriers can operate one weekly flight for China. PIA is operating PK854-855 ISB-XIY-PEK-ISB by using Xian's first entry point for Beijing as per CDC approval of the Xian government, reported Geo News.

"After the change in the current standard operating procedure of CAAC, we have an option to start our scheduled flights for Guangzhou and Xian also," he added.

Regarding cargo flights, Sangi said that PIA has got approval from the Chinese authorities to operate chartered cargo flights for Kunming and Shenzhen while approval for Kashgar (Xinjiang) is under process, reported Geo News.

He expressed the confidence that the chartered cargo flights to different Chinese cities would help further enhance trade and economic activities between Pakistan and China.

About the resumption of PIA's weekly Islamabad-Xian-Beijing-Islamabad passenger flights which are currently suspended due to COVID-19 situation, the country manager said that the local government authorities in Xian have been requested permission to resume the flights to Xian as per the previous schedule.

"We are waiting for the formal approval for resumption of flights so that we can facilitate the travellers from both countries," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )