Air Transport

Pakistan International Airlines is grounding its entire Boeing 747 fleet, citing the increased costs of operating the aircraft.

The carrier says its six 747-300s and two 747-200 Combis were scheduled to be grounded from 19 March. A spokesman was unable to say if the grounding will be permanent or what the airline plans to do with the aircraft.

"It is because the fuel price is very high," PIA says of the reason for the grounding, which is resulting in the retrenchment of 80 flight engineers.

The move comes just weeks after a new managing director took over at the airline, which has been suffering financially.

Some of PIA's 747s had already been parked or were only rarely being operated. The carrier says they are no longer needed and no flights are being suspended as a result of their grounding.

PIA's remaining widebody aircraft fleet comprises 12 Airbus A310-300s and eight Boeing 777-200ER/200LR/300ERs. A ninth 777, a -300ER, is due to be delivered by Boeing on 28 March.