PIA to Introduce 'Premium Service' With Airbus A330 on August 14

[Abbas Ali]

PIA to induct second A330 aircraft in Premier Service next month

September 10, 2016

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has planned to induct second A 330 aircraft in its Premier Service on London route during next month, official sources said.

All flights of London will be operated on airbus A330 with the Premier Service. The third Airbus is being planned to enroll in the Premier fleet in February 2017. While the PIA would also be looking for the service expansion to other suggested international routes like Toronto New York Birmingham and Beijing.

At present, sources claims that the Premier Service flights from Islamabad to London are being operated on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday while from Lahore to London on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Commenting on the return schedule they said the flights operated from London to Islamabad on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday whereas from London to Lahore on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The aircraft is equipped with 38 business and 269 economy class seats LCD screens and flight entertainment with 250 channels and flat bed service for business passengers.

In addition, a complimentary limousine service is also being extended to the business class passengers at the Heathrow Airport for their destinations within a radius of 25 kilometers.

Currently the sources said the PIA fleet consisted of 38 aircraft including 11 A 320 Airbuses, five A 310 Airbuses, 11 Boeing 777, six ATR 42 and five ATR 72. Efforts are underway to further expand the fleet and hopefully its strength will reach 42 during the current financial year, they said.

Source: businessplustv.pk

[Abbas Ali]

Paint peeling away from leading edge of PIA Premier Airbus A330 vertical stabliser. It was painted in PIA Premier livery just a month ago.

Photo: https://flic.kr/p/LaLasC

Another photo of peeling paint:

4R-ALN Pakistan International - PIA Airbus A330-343 (Heathrow EGLL) 08/09/2016 by James Mepsted, on Flickr

For comparison, photo of inaugural flight taken on August 14:


4R-ALN 14082016LHR by John Taggart, on Flickr

Abbas

[Abdulrafeysiddiqui]

What do you expect when PIA does painting in open environment? Other Airlines have special hangers for painting.

[Abbas Ali]

Photographed at Lahore Airport:

https://flic.kr/p/LdXaHB

https://flic.kr/p/M3WN68

https://flic.kr/p/M1jRSb

Abbas

[Pakistan-1]

What do you expect when PIA does painting in open environment? Other Airlines have special hangers for painting.

This A330 was painted in a hanger its just that they didn't bother to sand the old paint and that's why the paint didn't properly bond to the surface and is now peeling off

[CoyBoy]

I have never seen KHI hangar doors closed, does it even have doors?

Composite can be sanded? isnt that dangerous, I think paint is not even stripped from it, its simply painted grey or white and then new livery applied over that, atleast on youtube thats how it was for a United 777 repaint.

[Pakistan-1]

Composite can be sanded? isnt that dangerous, I think paint is not even stripped from it, its simply painted grey or white and then new livery applied over that, atleast on youtube thats how it was for a United 777 repaint.

Standard practice for an Airbus repaint is to remove the paint down to the yellow primer an paint on top of it
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fRv5LgG4EII
And on a Boeing standard practice is to strip the plane down to bare metal

[CoyBoy]

They dudnt show tail being stripped or repainted in above video.

[Abdulrafeysiddiqui]

This A330 was painted in a hanger its just that they didn't bother to sand the old paint and that's why the paint didn't properly bond to the surface and is now peeling off

What ever the cause is, still there are Na-Ehel peoples in PIA and as a result we see these kind of things!

[GEnx]

http://m.atwonline.com/airframes/ceo-pa ... order-787s
Some important info.
*PIA will switch wet leased A330 to dry lease arrangement.
*Second A330 coming in October "WILL BE DRY LEAESED..!" (Although i dought that)
*PIA plans to launch premier services to New York with a stop over at Leipzig instead of Manchester.

[Abbas Ali]

Sri Lankans also want to make it dry lease agreement for the A330s.

“But we hope to hand over the rest of the aircraft on dry leases or on the best possible terms.”

Source: http://www.sundaytimes.lk/160724/busine ... 01876.html

Maybe dry leased A330s will have to be registered in Pakistan in order to be flown by PIA pilots. Or can PIA pilots fly aircraft registered in Sri Lanka?

Would be nice if they paint the first and next two A330s in standard & current PIA livery and utilise the aircraft under airline's actual & standard 'PIA' brand and phase-wise introduce similar level of service on airline's Boeing 777 fleet also.

Abbas

[GEnx]

Sri Lankans also want to make it dry lease agreement for the A330s.

“But we hope to hand over the rest of the aircraft on dry leases or on the best possible terms.”

Source: http://www.sundaytimes.lk/160724/busine ... 01876.html

Maybe dry leased A330s will have to be registered in Pakistan in order to be flown by PIA pilots. Or can PIA pilots fly aircraft registered in Sri Lanka?

Would be nice if they paint the first and next two A330s in standard & current PIA livery and utilise the aircraft under airline's actual & standard 'PIA' brand and phase-wise introduce similar level of service on airline's Boeing 777 fleet also.

Abbas

But what's the point of having 330s and 788s at the same time in fleet. We have 777s too. If they have decided to get the 330s on a long term basis, then it's not a right decision IMHO. The best, they can do is to keep the 330s only, till the 788 arrives.

[Abbas Ali]

Photo taken on September 13.


4R-ALN Pakistan Intl A330-300 (LHR/EGLL) by Alan Edwards, on Flickr

Abbas

[Abdullah]

4R-ALN painted in uncontrolled environment without proper sanding and techniques. So, results you can see.

[Abbas Ali]

According to ARY News channel, PIA management has decided to operate three SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330s as dry leased aircraft. One of these aircraft is currently performing PIA Premier flights as wet leased aircraft.

Hope they end this PIA Premier brand and paint all three A330s in standard PIA livery sported by other aircraft of the airline and make it airline's standard service under single/standard brand i.e. PIA with airline's Boeing 777 fleet also offering same standard of service in coming months with phase-wise/gradual modernisation of Boeing 777s' passenger cabins.

Abbas