PIA announces direct flight from Lahore to Paris
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced the commencement of direct flight operations from Lahore to Paris, beginning June 18.
According to the PIA spokesperson, the new route will offer one weekly flight from Lahore to the French capital. PIA currently operates two weekly flights on the Islamabad–Paris route.
The addition of the Lahore–Paris flight aims to enhance travel convenience for passengers and contribute to foreign exchange earnings, the national flag carrier said in a statement.
Earlier this year, PIA resumed its European operations after a four-and-a-half-year hiatus, with flight PK-749 departing from Islamabad to Paris, carrying 330 passengers and 14 crew members.
The inaugural ceremony at Islamabad International Airport was attended by Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat, and top officials from the Civil Aviation Authority and Pakistan Airport Authority.
Earlier, Parliamentary Secretary Zeb Jaffar said that Pakistan International Airlines has been profitable since March 2024.
During the National Assembly's Question Hour, Parliamentary Secretary Zeb Jaffar said PIA had recovered financially and had resumed flights to the European Union, including services to Paris.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Pak, UK agree to boost strategic ties, trade
Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar meets UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in London, underscoring efforts to deepen bilateral relations. PHOTO: EXPRESS Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday met UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in London, in a bid to deepen bilateral cooperation across trade, investment, diplomatic engagement and people-to-people links. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the "growing importance" of Pakistan-UK ties, agreeing to increase high-level contacts, expand cultural and educational exchanges and further strengthen economic and development partnerships. The UK remains Pakistan's largest European trading partner and its third-biggest export destination globally. The two sides reviewed efforts to increase bilateral trade, which stood at $2.974 billion in 2021, and welcomed growing British investment in Pakistan, which has so far crossed the $10 billion mark. Britain's development assistance in areas such as education, health and macroeconomic stabilisation was also acknowledged. Pakistan and the UK maintain an Enhanced Strategic Dialogue (ESD) framework, covering cooperation on counterterrorism, climate change and regional stability, while also leveraging the presence of over 1.6 million Pakistani diaspora members in the UK to foster closer people-to-people ties. Both Dar and Rayner agreed to continue exploring new avenues for collaboration under what they described as a mutually reinforcing strategic partnership. Separately, Senator Dar held a meeting with Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, to reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the organisation and express support for its sustainable development and connectivity agendas. Dar felicitated Botchwey on her appointment and sought enhanced Commonwealth attention towards Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change.
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
London stocks rise but defence shares retreat
LONDON: Britain's main indexes climbed on Tuesday with broad-based gains, though advances were tempered by losses in defence stocks as investors assessed prospects for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal. The blue-chip FTSE 100 gained 0.3%. The midcap index FTSE 250 rose 0.4%, snapping a three-day losing streak. Market sentiment improved following US President Donald Trump's meeting on Monday with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European allies, where he pledged US support for Ukraine's security in any war-ending agreement. However, Trump conceded that Russian President Vladimir Putin might reject negotiations entirely. Aerospace and defence sector fell 2.8%, marking its largest single-day decline since early April, though it maintains a 70% yearly gain.
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
European stocks close at five-month highs
FRANKFURT: European shares closed at their highest level in more than five months on Tuesday as investors assessed the chances of an end of the war in Ukraine, following Monday's talks in Washington between US, Ukrainian and European leaders. The pan-European STOXX 600 index closed 0.7% up. Most major regional bourses also traded firmer. Markets were buoyed by hopes of more talks to resolve Russia's war in Ukraine after US President Donald Trump promised security guarantees for Kyiv at a summit with Ukrainian and a group of European leaders, though there was little clarity on the specifics. He said arrangements for a trilateral summit between the US, Russia and Ukraine were being made. On Tuesday, Trump said he hoped Putin would move forward on ending the war but conceded the Kremlin leader may not want to make a deal. European defence stocks fell 2.6%, marking their worst day in over a month, and were the biggest laggards on the STOXX 600 index. Shares in Italy's Leonardo fell 10.2%, the most on the index. Hensoldt and Renk Group fell 9.5% and 8.3% respectively, while Rheinmetall was down 4.9%. 'The rest of the market is edging cautiously higher... that really reflects what we think about the prospect of a peace deal - it's likely in some shape or form,' said Nick Saunders, CEO of stock trading platform Webull UK. 'What form that takes is going to be difficult to determine.' Consumer discretionary sectors led broader gains with automobiles and food and beverage stocks up 2.4% and 1.6% respectively. Luxury stocks surged on a boost from Moncler , up 4.9%, and Burberry rising 5.1%. Meanwhile, latest forecasts showed a dip in the outlook for European corporate health, marking a change of direction after several weeks of improvement. However, of the 259 STOXX 600 companies that have reported second-quarter earnings so far, almost 53% have exceeded analyst estimates, LSEG I/B/E/S data showed. The STOXX 600 has gained almost 10% this year driven by hopes of higher spending in the bloc, a shift to European assets in the first half of 2025 and rising expectations of a US interest rate cut. However, Saunders did not expect continued capital flow into Europe as global trade war fears had somewhat subsided. The Federal Reserve's annual Jackson Hole symposium will also be in focus this week. Investors will scrutinize any clues from Chair Jerome Powell and others on monetary policy, even as a September cut remains priced in. Among other stocks, JD Sports gained 6.9% after Deutsche Bank raised the British sportswear retailer's target price to 100 pence from 85 pence.
