ISLAMABAD – This is for the first that a Pakistani origin passenger plane departed for the US with 200 passenger for a direct flight, said PIA on Twitter.
The national carrier said that the PIA flight 8711 flying directory from Islamabad to New Jersey departed Sunday morning with 200 passengers on board.
Celebrating the event on social media, the PIA remarked: “History in Making”. It added that security checking standards were maintained.
“History in Making: First Pakistani origin aircraft operated by PIA 8711 flying directly from Pakistan (Islamabad) to US (New Jersey), departed in the morning today, carrying more than 200 Pax. Strict TSA security checking standards was maintained,” read the tweet.
History in Making:
First Pakistani origin aircraft operated by PIA 8711 flying directly from Pakistan (Islamabad) to US (New Jersey), departed in the morning today, carrying more than 200 Pax. Strict TSA security checking standards was maintained. pic.twitter.com/4JcoSTtXYp— PIA (@Official_PIA) May 31, 2020
In April, the United States Department of Transportation had granted permission to the PIA for operating direct flights to the US
The airline’s spokesman had said that the PIA planes earlier had no capacity to fly directly to the US, which is why the passenger planes had to make a stopover.
Earlier, Pakistan had sought permission but it was refused due to 9/11 attacks.
According to a letter by the US Department of Transportation, PIA will be allowed to operate twelve round-trip or one-way passenger or cargo flights. The permission will expire on April 29, 2021.
