Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan International Airlines will resume direct flights between Islamabad and Beijing from July 3, restoring a critical air corridor between the two neighboring countries after a two-month suspension triggered by a sharp surge in jet fuel costs linked to the Iran war.
PIA announced the suspension in April, cutting services to Beijing, Kuala Lumpur and several Middle Eastern destinations after fuel prices climbed to unsustainable levels.
At their peak, jet fuel averaged $195 per barrel in April; more than double the rate recorded a year earlier, according to the International Air Transport Association.
“The revival of the Islamabad–Beijing route comes amid growing demand from students, business professionals, tourists and families,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported, citing PIA.
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The reinstatement of the route is being welcomed particularly by the sizeable community of Pakistani and Chinese students pursuing higher education across both countries.
PIA said the restored service would offer competitive fares, generous baggage allowances and an improved travel experience.
Beyond passenger convenience, the airline framed the decision in diplomatic terms, saying the direct flights align with ongoing efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties and deepen relations between Pakistan and China.
The resumption signals cautious optimism in Pakistan’s aviation sector, which was battered first by post-pandemic restructuring and then by the fuel price shock earlier this year.
Whether PIA will also restore its other suspended routes, including services to Kuala Lumpur and parts of the Middle East, remains to be confirmed by the airline.
