After receiving clearance from the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is prepared to launch its direct weekly passenger flights on the Beijing-Islamabad-Beijing route by the end of October.
The national flag carrier currently runs a weekly flight along the route Islamabad-Xian-Beijing-Islamabad. On Saturday, the PIA flight departs from Islamabad and makes an immediate arrival in Xian. The plane lands in Beijing on Sunday and departs for Islamabad on Sunday evening.
However, given that Pakistan is China’s only all-weather strategic partner and that the two nations have mutual interests and collaboration in a number of fields, the CAAC has given the PIA permission to begin direct weekly operations to and from Beijing, official sources revealed.
In order to provide the timely permission, the CAAC has additionally requested that the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) inform PIA to submit schedule filings.
The direct passenger flight from Islamabad to Beijing will benefit travelers, particularly those who reside in the Chinese capital, such as officials, businessmen, and students. Additionally, the flight will make it easier for Chinese workers on various CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) projects in Pakistan.
In order to give Chinese and Pakistani tourists more alternatives for direct flights to various destinations between China and Pakistan, PIA is increasing its flight network for China.
It should be noted that since March of this year, PIA has been conducting direct weekly passenger flights on Wednesdays between Islamabad and Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province.
Prior to this, the national flag carrier increased student discounts from 10 to 15 percent and added a 7 percent surcharge discount for a total discount of almost 22 percent on flights between Pakistan and China.
After completing their study, students who are returning to China or who want to go to China for Study might benefit from the discount.