- PIA plans to acquire 16 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
- A consortium acquired a 75pc stake for Rs135bn ($482m).
- PIA aims to triple its fleet from 19 to 64 aircraft in eight years.
- The first batch of five Dreamliners could arrive in the first half of 2027.
- PIA is appointing former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as CEO.
Pakistan International Airlines is considering a fleet modernisation plan centered around the acquisition of 16 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The plan follows a December structural overhaul when an Arif Habib Corporation-led consortium acquired a 75pc stake for Rs135bn ($482m). PIA aims to more than triple its active fleet from 19 to 64 aircraft over the next eight years.
Boeing originally projected deliveries to begin in 2028, but ongoing talks aim to deliver the first batch of five Dreamliners in the first half of 2027. The early induction intends to bolster high-yield, long-haul operations to Europe and Canada. PIA is in the final stages of appointing former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as its new CEO.
Regulatory changes are supporting the transition, including targeted tax breaks on new components and the transfer of $51m in property assets to the carrier. PIA has undergone significant restructuring under new private ownership.
