Pakistan International Airlines

[Moo2009]

Another 200 meters of concrete at each end of the runway I there would prob be a few long haul services from LBA

 

[User0001]

Just found out that PIA will continue flying into Leeds as the media in Pakistan reported the news wrong. Only Frankfurt and Amsterdam services been dropped in September

Its why I made a point of saying flights are still bookable.

I'm sure if PIA were to leave another airline will step in to fill the gap

But, as eluded to in my previous post, who could this be?

Shaheen left on their own accord last time, and have gone cold on European routes, even with their new A330's. Air Blue seem quite content at Manchester, and an a Scenario where PIA are gone, that's all out for 3.

Surely you wouldn't want a half baked idea like Swefly, or, in the case of BHX, some of the questionable carriers on the Armitsar route? Not only would it severely hack off the people who book with them if it goes t*ts up, but also gives the airport a bad reputation too?

 

[whoshotjimmi]

I just wanted to wade into and put some perspective on the Amsterdam/Frankfurt situation.

Amsterdam is a city of just over 800,000 people. Holland has a total Pakistani community of 35,000. 20,000 of these live in Amsterdam.

Frankfurt is a city of just under 700,000 people. Germany has a total Pakistani community of approx. 75,000. 1,500 of these live in Frankfurt (25,000 live in the state of Hessia)

Leeds & Bradford are two cities of a combined population of 1,250,000. The UK has a Pakistani community of over 1,000,000. Of this, 80,000 reside in Bradford and 15,000 reside in Leeds.

You can say what you like about the size of Amsterdam and Frankfurt airports but the simple fact is this: LBA has a much higher population base to cater for. PIA flights into the UK are filled, on the whole, by Pakistanis and British Pakistanis. As a result, Frankfurt and Amsterdam are both far easier and far more sensible to drop than LBA.

So this whole "writing on the wall" situation isn't as clear as some are trying to make out. Granted, if the route is lost due to the monumental catastrophe that appears to be PIA management, then so be it. But, it does not mean the end of long haul from LBA. The demand is there. It just needs the will of one half decent airline with the correct machinery.

The question is....

who?

 

[48vanman]

Might be the opportunity for Jet2 to finally acquire widebody aircraft.They are a known and trusted brand at LBA.There is obviously a demand for Pakistani flights a couple of times a week.Could they not commence these together with a weekly Orlando/Toronto/Caribbean route?.Their Jet2holidays brand certainly seems to be on the up,maybe it's time to test the water with a couple of
long haul routes next?.

 

[User0001]

The demand is there. It just needs the will of one half decent airline with the correct machinery

I think we are talking about the wrong part of the world for this to be a reality. PIA, Air India, Biman Bangladesh, all truly awful airlines due to the way they are run. The private airlines are only marginally better but still suffer similar issues.

If we were talking about a route to Orlando, the possibilities are plentiful, but, when we are talking about Islamabad, its either a Pakistani airline or none at all. No decent British airline would touch that route with a bargepole due to security of the crew/aircraft downroute.

 

[Aviador]

That's not going to happen due in part to the topography of the land which includes issues connected with Otley Chevin.

What's not going to happen? Jet2 buying larger aircraft suitable for long haul flights? The Chevin and topography at LBA would not play a part in any decision to purchase larger aircraft by the airline.

 

[a300boy]

I see Air-Blue had massive problems over the weekend on the Islamabad-Manchester route 48 hrs late departing from Manchester I believe. Might be a reason to look at Lbia to Islamabad as an alternative in the future.

 

[User0001]

I see Air-Blue had massive problems over the weekend on the Islamabad-Manchester route 48 hrs late departing from Manchester I believe. Might be a reason to look at Lbia to Islamabad as an alternative in the future

Why exactly? The fault was nothing whatsoever to do with MAN, and MAN also has the PIA alternative? Fail to see what this post is trying to achieve exactly? That like saying Monarch had a tech delay at MAN, so why not use LBA in the future?

 

[a300boy]

For me a small airline with only a couple of aircraft is more likely to have problems when something goes wrong. When did I suggest that it was Manchester Airports fault ? It has been said on here that the reason PIA might drop the Lbia to Islamabad route would be as a result of Air-Blue being able to operate direct to Islamabad from Manchester now they have A340 equipment and they had targeted the Yorkshire Pakistani community which is why I made my comment. I am also fully aware of PIA Manchester operations which I am told are a little more expensive than Air-Blue.

 

[Moo2009]

On the departure board tonight it says Islamabad then Lahore is this because its running late or are they now offering connections?

 

[Aviador]

It looks like they are offering connections as the flight was showing Islamabad - Lahore again this evening.

 

[adam]

if its a connection why would it show it on LBA dep board, if it listed connections the list could be a mile long. could it be that the plane now goes through to Lahore and stops at Islamabad en route?

it has same flight code lands at 0725 from LBA and leaves at 0825 to Lahore

 

[Bigman]

That's interesting if they are 'double dropping'. What's the Lahore service like out of MAN these days?

 

[airbus]

it look like PIA do offer flights to Lahore from Leeds as I have just been onto PIA website and looked at booking a flight from LBA to Lahore and its under the flight code 776 with 1 stop in Islamabad . But the return flight is on a different plane with two different flight codes.

 

[User0001]

What's the Lahore service like out of MAN these days?

2 weekly LHE-MAN-LHE B777-300ER on PIA
3 weekly LHE-ISB-MAN-ISB-LHE A340-300 on Air Blue.

Loads are usually around 75% for PIA and I'm not sure of air blue due to the ISB stop on the way.

 

[Moo2009]

Is the Islamabad service struggling with them now also offering Lahore on the same aircraft?

 

[White Heather]

Not sure they are - I tried a dummy booking last week and it came up as flight not available, and although I have asked LBA themselves, they don't know anything about this at managment level and Tony Hallwood is looking into it for me. All rather strange!

 

[lbaspotter]

I understand that the add on of Lahore to the Leeds to Islamabad PIA776 Wednesday service is basically an aircraft positioning sector. So instead of the aircraft flying empty from Islamabad to Lahore they are now offering passengers the opportunity to travel onwards to Lahore without an aircraft change been required. Connections onto the PIA775 service can also now be made in Islamabad (Aircraft change still required) if travelling between Lahore and Leeds.

Passenger number's on the route are going up once again due to the airline Airbus A310-300 aircraft losing the business class seats and been reconfigured in all economy 227 passenger layout.

 

[White Heather]

I have just noted on the LBA intereactive route map that both Lahore and Karachi are now shown as destinations from LBA via Islamabad. They are unique on the map in that they are shown as yellow dots rather than the usual red.

 

[48vanman]

I see from the airport arrivals page todays flight is delayed again,estimating 22 00.

It also says arrival from Islamabad and Ashkhabad USSR!.What's that all about?.