Report: Ikram Ullah Joyia/ANI
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has signed a partnership agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways to induct two state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft into its fleet.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday, the addition of the Boeing 787 Dreamliners marks the beginning of PIA’s fleet expansion plan. The airline aims to meet rising passenger demand by increasing capacity, expanding direct flights and improving global connectivity.
The aircraft are expected to join PIA in November 2026 and will operate long-haul direct flights from Pakistan to the United Kingdom. They will facilitate air operations between various destinations in Pakistan and the UK.
Under the partnership, Norse Atlantic will provide the aircraft, experienced crew, maintenance and insurance. The agreement will support PIA’s ambitious route expansion plans while enabling Norse Atlantic to redeploy its returning fleet efficiently.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, PIA Chief Executive Officer Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat said the UK was an important market for the airline.
He said the agreement would provide much-needed additional capacity and offer passengers greater choice and improved connectivity on these routes. He added that the partnership would strengthen PIA’s international network and help meet the strong demand for direct travel between Pakistan and the UK.
Amir Hayat said these were the first Dreamliner aircraft being introduced to the Pakistani market and expressed hope that they would provide passengers with a premium travel experience.
Norse Atlantic CEO Eivind Roald said the company had been working to redeploy capacity through new ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) opportunities and was now implementing that strategy.
He said Norse Atlantic was pleased to support PIA’s long-haul capacity expansion and strengthen connectivity between Pakistan and the UK, providing the large Pakistani community in Britain with more travel options between the two countries.
Roald described the agreement as the beginning of a strategic partnership between the two airlines.
