Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has signed a lease agreement with Norway’s Norse Atlantic Airways for two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to expand long-haul services between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
Norse announced the partnership on Friday. It covers aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI), with the Norwegian airline supplying those services for PIA’s operations.
PIA Chief Executive Officer Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat said the agreement would increase capacity and give passengers more travel options. He described demand for direct services between the countries as strong.
“The UK is an important market for PIA,” Hayat said.
He described the planned deployment as the first time Dreamliners would enter the Pakistani market. Additionally, he expressed hope that passengers would receive the services they expected.
Read: Pakistan Eyes Airbus Leasing, Rolls-Royce Engines for PIA
Norse Chief Executive Officer Eivind Roald linked the agreement to his airline’s strategy of redeploying aircraft through new ACMI contracts. He argued that the partnership could improve travel options for the Pakistani community in Britain.
Roald described it as a possible starting point for a broader relationship between the carriers.
IndiGo announced in July that it would end its wet-lease arrangement with Norse. Meanwhile, the Norwegian airline has been reducing its exposure to low-cost transatlantic services and placing greater emphasis on leasing aircraft and crews to other operators.
Separately, the commerce ministry has discussed possible PIA aircraft-leasing and fleet-modernisation arrangements involving Airbus and Rolls-Royce.
The ministry said Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott discussed aircraft and engine proposals during a meeting in Islamabad. Those discussions covered immediate leasing requirements and longer-term fleet plans.
Operations under the Norse agreement are expected to begin in early November
