Pakistan International Airlines |
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PIA Boeing 747 in the new (2004) colour scheme
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PIA Boeing 747-300 in the old colour scheme
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Pakistan International Airlines (also known as PIA), is Pakistan's national and international airline. Its IATA call code is PK. In Pakistan its initials are sometimes jocularly said to stand for "prayers
in air".
History
PIA can trace its beginnings to the days when Pakistan still wasn't a nation. In 1946, Muhammed Ali Jinnah, also known as founder
of Pakistan, realized the need of an airline network for the forming country. He called upon the help of an experienced
industrialist, Mr. M.A.
Ispahani.
On October 23 of 1946, Orient Airways was set up, registered in
Calcutta. In February
of 1947, three DC-3 airplanes were bought from a
company in Texas, and in May of that year, the
airline was granted a license to fly. Services were started in June, from Calcutta to
Akyab and Rangoon. This was the first post war airline flight by an Indian registered
airline company.
Two months after this service began, Pakistan as a nation was formed. Orient Airways began relief flights to the new
nation, and soon after, it moved operations to Karachi, where it began the important
route from Karachi to Dacca. In addition, their initial domestic route in Pakistan was
established, from Karachi to Lahore to Peshawar, and from Karachi to Quetta to Lahore.
Due to increasing passenger demand, the airline increased its fleet before the end of the 1940s, and this caused financial trouble to the airline. The government of Pakistan, realizing the operation was
failing economically, asked the airline to merge into a new, national airline that the government was planning on creating.
Eventually, on March 11 of 1955, Orient
Airways merged with the Government's proposed airline, becoming Pakistan International Airways.
That year also, the airline opened their first route, under the PIA name, from Karachi to London Heathrow Airport in London, United Kingdom, via Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt and Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino, Italy.
In 1956 PIA ordered two Super Constellations and five Viscount planes.
In 1959, Nur Khan was named managing director of PIA, thus beginning what many in the airline industry call
the golden years of PIA.
In March of 1960, PIA became the first Asian airline to enter the jet age when Boeing 707 service was
introduced. In 1961, services were begun to JFK International Airport in New York, then
Idlewild Airport. In 1962, orders were placed for Boeing 720's, Fokker F27's and Sikorsky helicopters. One of their 720's broke a record that year, when it flew from Karachi to London
non-stop in under 7 hours.
1964 was another history making year for PIA when it became the first airline
from a non-communist country to fly to the People's Republic of China. As the India-Pakistan war broke in 1965, PIA helped the Pakistani forces with logistics and transport. In 1966, the Viscounts were phased out, substituted by Tridents.
In 1967, PIA installed Pakistan's first computer, an IBM model.
The 1970s saw the resumption of transatlantic fights for the airline, and many new
destinations. It applied in 1972 to operate to Libya, and a agreement was signed with Yugoslav airline JAT, also on that year. In
1973, McDonnell Douglas
DC-10's arrived. 1974 saw the start of air freight
service, as well as a cargo service to New York. In 1975, new uniforms were introduced for
PIA stewardesses, and in 1976, leased Boeing 747's came into service, the first time the airline had such a type. In 1978, the airline bought their first 747 aircraft, which have since become a staple of the airline's fleet. 1978 also
saw the airline provide help to Somali Airlines, Air Malta and Yemenia; and establish a hotel management service
in the United Arab Emirates.
The 1980s began with the opening of a cargo center in Karachi. In 1981, PIA was named most efficient airline to the Haj
operation, and a duty-free sales service was begun.
1982 saw the welcoming of Airbus A300 planes to the fleet, and the first C and D checks on the fleet were
performed. In addition, Pakistan's first Direct Inward Dialing system in Pakistan was introduced by the airline. In 1984, domestic coach fare service at night was introduced. In 1985 the Pakistani Planetarium tourist attraction was inaugurated by PIA, and five Boeing 737s joined the fleet. A former PIA Boeing 707 now forms part of the Planetarium's exhibition.
1987 and 1988 saw the introduction of flights to
Male and to Lester B. Pearson International Airport (Now Toronto Pearson International
Airport) in Mississauga, Ontario (near Toronto), respectively.
In 1989, their first women pilots started to command passenger flights.
In 1992, flights started to Tashkent and
in 1993, to Zurich, Switzerland. In addition, PIA became a user of the Sabre,
Galileo and Amadeus global distribution systems, or GDS.
Jakarta, Fujairah, Baky and Al-Ain were among the cities introduced to
PIAs route network in 1994, and air safari flights started to be operated
by the airline. 1995 saw the arrival of a 747 flight simulation system, and the purchase of
a used Air France A300 plane.
In 1996, the airline leased a Tupolev
T14 plane, and re-opened services to Beirut International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon.
In 1999 the airline eliminated all intermediate stops on flights to the United States, hoping to attract more North American passengers.
Destinations
External link
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