British Airways Returning to Pakistan?

[Abbas Ali]

PIA asked to get ground-handling services contract

November 07, 2013 LAHORE - President Air League Lahore Ahmad Butt has stressed the PIA management to acquire contract of providing ground handling services to the airlines supposed to start their operation within next couple of months. While talking to The Nation Ahmad Butt said that Turkish and British airways were going to commence their operation from Pakistan after two months. Their managements have hired offices at different airports of Pakistan. He was of the view that by these contracts PIA would be able to earn millions of US dollars since ground handling services were not a minor business. He said, "I have talked to MD PIA, Capt. Junaid Yunis and DMD for above said purpose and requested them to acquire the said contract".

He claimed that this contract will help PIA to come out of crisis and employees will be happy. Butt said that in the past rulers only looted PIA and paid no heed towards its betterment. With provision of ground handling services not PIA employees would become safe from unemployment but credibility of the airline would also be restored.

Source: The Nation

Abbas

[needroos]

BA to Pakistan sounds quite unlikely. Now that Qatar Airways has joined Oneworld, BA can easily sell tickets on QR metal.

[Adnan Anwar]

BA to Pakistan sounds quite unlikely. Now that Qatar Airways has joined Oneworld, BA can easily sell tickets on QR metal.

With Insurance rates for Pakistan going up , now BA feeding to QR is more than likely.

[rayyanullah]

One reason why some airlines may not come to Pakistan is that like it or not crews refuse to layover in Pakistan due to the security situation as some targets in the past have been the hotels used by them
So BA or any airline requiring crew layover is unlikely to come any time soon

[malpensa26]

if it happens it will likely happen if hotel is built onsite at new ISB airport

or the crew changes in Dubai or abu dhabi etc

[baberblues]

Is this true folks? could there be a possibility?

[pakcanaviator]

Is this true folks? could there be a possibility?

I doubt it, if it were true we would have heard it somewhere on the news. Plus I saw a Facebook post with the same pictures and it said that this team was from the British Aerodrome Security Inspection Department. Not sure if that is true either.

[Abbas Ali]

Security teams from western countries regularly visit Pakistani airports from where flights to Europe and North America are operated.



Just a few weeks ago in October, one such team from USA was touring Lahore Airport to inspect airport's security arrangements, cargo areas, immigration, check-in counters, passenger baggage handling etc.

Such security teams touring Lahore Airport are reported by Lahore region news channels after about every two months or so.

BTW, Britishers are supporting New Islamabad International Airport development with training and expertise. This was stated by British Home Secretary Amber Rudd during her visit to Pakistan few months ago.

Abbas

[Abdulrafeysiddiqui]

While talking to The Nation Ahmad Butt said that Turkish and British airways were going to commence their operation from Pakistan after two months.

Hope this happens!