Flight International online news 08:00GMT: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is seeking a wet-lease on one Airbus A320 or one Boeing 737-800, which will mark the introduction of a completely new aircraft model for the airline.
A tender notice on the state-owned carrier’s website says it needs one A320 or 737-800 on wet-lease for a “minimum of one year” starting from October with an option to extend to one year plus an option to convert to dry-lease.
PIA says it wants the passenger aircraft in two-class configuration and the crew required, as part of the deal, include sets of captains, first officers and senior pursers.
It says the aircraft will be used on domestic and regional routes with “an average stage length of 1.5 block hours”.
Currently PIA uses Boeing 737-300s and Airbus A310s on such sectors and has no 737-800s or A320s in its fleet so the wet-lease marks the introduction of a completely new aircraft model to the airline’s fleet.
Its move to get a newer aircraft for domestic and regional routes comes as it faces increased competition on these sectors from privately owned carrier Airblue, which operates A320s on domestic trunk routes and this month launched operations to Dubai, its first international air service.
Airblue recently placed an order for two Airbus A320s and two Airbus A330-200s.
LEITHEN FRANCIS / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
