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History of PIA - Pakistan International Airlines

Photo Gallery of PIA's Finest Men and Women

Air Hostess Selma Sheikh

Air Hostess Selma Sheikh  (Copyright © Selma Sheikh)

Air Hostess Selma Sheikh is seen in 1950s uniform in this photograph. Selma joined PIA as Air Hostess in 1957 and later got promoted to the position of flight purser and served the airline till late 1960s with great amount of dedication. Brilliant, well groomed and good looking Selma appeared on a number of PIA brochures and printed material like in-flight booklets, advertisements and Boeing 707/720B emergency safety instructions in 1950s and 1960s. PIA's 1962 wall calendar featured Selma with other PIA air hostesses including Shehla Leghari and legendary Momi Gul Durrani. During her service with PIA, Selma flew on a number of aircraft types operated by PIA at that time including Super Constellation, DC-3 Dakota, Fokker F27, Boeing 707, Boeing 720B and Trident. On January 2, 1962, Selma was member of operating crew of PIA's brand new Boeing 720-040B (AP-AMG) when this aircraft on its delivery flight to Pakistan broke the world record for the London-Karachi non-stop flight time. Her favourite aircraft in PIA was and still is the Super Constellation. On Super Constellation flights, unlike today's fast turnarounds, on the London flights for instance, Selma and her fellow crew members would leave Karachi, have a three day layover in either Beirut, staying at the Commodore Hotel, or in Rome, before continuing on to London. If they were going on to New York on Boeing 707 jet flight, it would be 3 or 4 day layover in London, in the earliest days at the Palm Court in Richmond, or in later years at the Kensington Palace Hotel, and similar layovers on the return flights, so in all one flight would be 12 to 14 days outstation, which was just great!! says Selma. On Trident and Boeing flights Selma flew within what was then West Pakistan and also to Bombay and Delhi in India. Sometimes Selma and her fellow air hostesses would be sent off to Dacca in East Pakistan for a month's posting where they flew DC-3 Dakotas, the most hair rising planes in Selma's experience. On DC-3s, Selma flew within East Pakistan and also to Calcutta in India. Selma enjoyed her job and on many occasions she was chosen to be part of crew on VVIP flights. She performed duty on VVIP flights that carried famous personalities including President Ayub Khan of Pakistan, Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko of Japan (now Emperor and Empress of Japan), the Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and Empress Farah Pahlavi, and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. On her flights she also got chance to meet famous personalities like the Hollywood film star Ingrid Bergman, English crime writer Agatha Christie and many other VIPs


Capt. Abdullah Baig

Capt. Abdullah Baig  (Selma Sheikh Collection)

This rare color photo from 1960 shows PIA's ace pilot Capt. Abdullah Baig, affectionately called 'Tony Baig' by friends, interacting with passengers in first class lounge of Boeing 707-321 ( registration N723PA) that was acquired by PIA on lease from Pan American World Airways from February 1960 to December 1962



Air Hostess Arjumand Ahmad

Air Hostess Arjumand Ahmad  (Copyright © Arjumand Ahmad)

This early 1960s photo shows Air Hostess Arjumand Ahmad serving President of Iraq Field Marshal Abdul Salam Arif on board a PIA flight


Air Hostess Yvonne Reuben

Air Hostess Yvonne Reuben  (Selma Sheikh Collection)

Air Hostess Yvonne Reuben attending passengers aboard PIA Boeing 707-321 (registration N723PA) in 1960. Elegant Yvonne was one of the earliest employees of PIA and served the airline from 1950s to 1960s




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