According to a spokesperson of Pakistan International Airline (PIA), the airline will begin flight operations from Turbat, a city in Southern Balochistan, to Sharjah, UAE from 6th February.
The spokesperson stated, “The national airline will launch Turbat-Sharjah bi-weekly operation from February 6. ATR plane will be used for flight operations on this route.”
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This development has come days after the national flag carrier decided to increase its domestic flight operation between Karachi and Quetta in order to cater to the travel needs of the maximum population.
PIA will operate four flights between the two cities weekly, revealed an official statement issued by the national flag carrier. The statement added that the cost of a one-way ticket for each city would be Rs. 8732.
PIA would release further information about its flight operations until further notice.
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Recommencement of flight operationsÂ
Earlier this month, Pakistan International Airline (PIA) announced the recommencement of its regular passenger flights to Saudi Arabia which were otherwise suspended amid Saudi Arabia’s ban on all flights in and out of the Kingdom. This was announced after Saudi Arabia lifted its travel ban a few days prior.
According to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation’s (SGACA) latest notice, the Kingdom has now lifted its travel ban on international flights to the country. However, it has presented strict requirements that need to be fulfilled before entering the country.
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According to officials, passengers from countries where the new variant of Covid-19 has spread, such as the United Kingdom, South Africa, and others, must spend 14 days in a country where the new variant has not been reported, before entering Saudi Arabia.
Passengers must also take a PCR test at the end of that 14 days period and should test negative.
The passengers whose flights were already booked with PIA are requested to go to their nearest PIA offices to reactivate their flight bookings, said PIA’s spokesperson. Those who want to travel to the Kingdom must do the same or contact PIA’s call centers.
Those wanting to travel to Saudi Arabia must get tested only at facilities the Saudi government has approved, add the spokesperson.
In late December, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) had allowed foreign airlines to operate in the country and non-Saudis to return to their country of origin.
Post GACA’s decision, the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) had decided to recommence its commercial flights to Saudi Arabia so that stranded Pakistanis can be brought back, informed PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez.
The airline had decided to carry cargo from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. Despite realizing how much of a financial load one-way operation of flights would be, PIA is determined to bring Pakistanis back to their homeland, Abdullah Hafeez added.
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