KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is on the hunt for purchase of four-small aircraft on dry lease on back of new bailout package of Rs13 billion it received from the government.
PIA intends to replace its A320’s with four narrow body aircraft in its fleet which are set to be returned to Vietnam, reported Express Tribune. The planes would be purchased on dry lease, without ground staff, crew for a period of eight years said PIA spokesman Mashood Tajwar.
The recently approved bailout package of Rs13.2 billion could be utilized for purchase of these four-small aircraft, said Tajwar. PIA is seeking narrow-body aircraft which have a capacity to hold over 120 passengers. It is expected this void would be filled in by Boeing 737s and Airbus A320’s for PIA, he added.
Four A320’s had been acquired on wet lease for six months in August by PIA to run its Hajj operations and Tajwar stated the aircraft will be returned in one go over the next one or two months. These narrow-body aircraft are mostly utilized by PIA for short to medium distances like Lahore-Karachi-Islamabad segments and for flying to Gulf destinations like the UAE etc.
