PIA 5.28

It was the brainchild of founder of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah who asked Mr. M.A. Ispahani, a leading industrialist, to set up a national airline. In October 1946 Orient Airways was created.

As Orient Airways was a privately owned company, with limited capital and resources, the Government of Pakistan decided to form a state-owned airline and invited Orient Airways to merge with it. The outcome of the merger was the birth of a new airline named, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on January 10, 1955.

PIA, during its six decades of existence, has achieved many historic firsts. PIA was the first Asian Airline to introduce a pure jet aircraft. It introduced Boeing 707-320 jet aircraft in 1959-1960. In 1962, PIA broke the record for the fastest flight between London and Karachi. In 1964, PIA earned the distinction of becoming the first airline from a non-communist country to fly into the People’s Republic of China. It was the first entity in Pakistan to install an IBM1401 computer in 1966-67. PIA was the first airline in the world to operate a scheduled helicopter service as well to start an Air Safari with jet aircraft in 1993-94. PIA was the launch customer of the latest Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.

A new Jet Hangar for Boeings with a supporting airframe overhaul shop was completed and commissioned in 1968. Besides visible development and growth in traffic and revenues in the 60’s, PIA added new destinations, equipment, and cutting-edge technology to support its ever expanding operations. In the 70’s, PIA set up its own Flight Kitchen in Karachi, which today provides catering services to the national airline as well as other carriers. In the 80’s, along with the automation of budget, finance, revenue and other important areas, PIA set up the first ever Planetarium of Pakistan at Karachi. During the 90’s PIA’s era of growth and development continued unabated as the airline operated globally covering the domestic landscape and international destinations spread over 4 continents.

Achievements and Recognitions:

1) First airline from an Asian country to fly the Super Constellation.

2) First Asian airline to operate a jet aircraft.

3) First Asian airline to be granted maintenance approval by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Registration Board, predecessor of the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

4)First non-communist airline to fly to the People's Republic of China, and operate a service between Asia and Europe via Moscow.

5) First airline in Asia to induct the new technology Boeing 737-300 aircraft.

6) An IBM 1401, the first computer in Pakistan, was installed in PIA.

7) First airline in the world to operate scheduled helicopter services.

8) First airline to show in-flight movies on international routes.

9) PIA set up Pakistan's first planetarium at Karachi.

10)The first airline in South Asia to introduce auto-ticketing facility.

11) The first airline in the world to fly to Tashkent, capital of the newly independent state of Uzbekistan.

12) First airline in the world to start Air Safari with jet aircraft.

13) First Asian airline to start flights to Oslo, the capital city of Norway.

14) First airline in the world to induct Boeing 777-200LR, the world's longest range commercial airliner.

15) First airline in the world to take delivery of the Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner (Longer Range Variant).

16) Pakistan International Airlines Flight Services Department was awarded the ISO 9001:2000 certification award during May 2006.

17) First airline in the south east region to offer seat reservations through mobile communications.

18) First airline in Pakistan to operate a flight with an all female crew at command and serving in the cabin