KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will start direct flights toUnited States (US) from April 2020 as the preparations have been enteredinto its final phase.
The national flag-carrier will initiate direct flights between Pakistan-USfrom the month of April next year and the PIA administration soughtpermission from the American officials for it besides providing relateddocuments and plans.
Sources added that PIA will utilise its long-range Boeing 777 aircraft forthe flight operation to the US. It is pertinent to mention here that a teamof homeland security of US had visited Pakistan to overview of thearrangements for direct flights at Islamabad and Karachi airports.
Moreover, US transport security authority had also concluded its audit ofPIA planes and security measures on the airports. The officials of thesecurity agency had expressed their satisfaction over the securityarrangements.
The administration of the national flag-carrier is seeking formalpermission from the US authorities to commence direct flights fromIslamabad, Lahore and Karachi, sources said. The development came forthafter the successful visit of PIA chief executive officer to the US wherehe had met high-level officials from aviation, airport authority, TSA andothers.
In March, American authorities had green- lightenedlink PakistanInternational Airlines (PIA) for the direct flight operations to the UnitedStates (US).
The development follows, after a meeting of the Consul General of theUnited States of America JoAnne Wagner with the Pakistan InternationalAirlines (PIA) CEO Arshad Malik, at the PIA headquarters.