PIA Begins Fleet Rebuild After Privatisation as First Boeing 787 Dreamliner Lands in Islamabad
Pakistan International Airlines has taken its biggest step yet towards rebuilding its fleet since privatisation, welcoming the first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner ever flown by a Pakistani airline.
The wide-body jet touched down at Islamabad International Airport on Sunday, 1 November 2026, after flying in from London Heathrow as flight PK786. It was met by PIA’s chief executive and given a traditional water cannon salute on arrival.
The aircraft is the first of two Dreamliners PIA is leasing from Norwegian carrier Norse Atlantic Airways, and it marks the start of a wider fleet renewal that the airline’s new private owners say will bring more planes, more routes and better service for passengers.
A first for Pakistan
No Pakistani airline has ever operated a Boeing 787 before. The Dreamliner is Boeing’s modern long-haul jet, known for its fuel efficiency, quieter cabins and larger windows. For PIA, which has flown ageing Boeing 777s on its long routes for years, it is a visible break with the past.
“This is the first Boeing 787 of its kind to join the fleet of any airline in Pakistan,” a PIA spokesperson said after the arrival, according to the airline’s own announcement.
The jet was welcomed at the airport by PIA chief executive Air Vice Marshal Aamir Hayat and his team. PIA said the aircraft would help modernise its fleet, raise travel standards and support the expansion of direct flights to meet growing passenger demand.
The timing matters. PIA returned to London in March 2026 after a six-year absence, and demand on the UK routes has been strong. The Dreamliner is set to fly those routes, giving the airline a newer, more comfortable aircraft for one of its most important markets — the large Pakistani community in Britain.
What is a wet lease, and why did PIA choose one?
The Dreamliner does not belong to PIA. It is leased from Norse Atlantic Airways under what the aviation industry calls a wet lease, or ACMI agreement — short for aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance.
In plain terms, Norse Atlantic provides the aeroplane along with its own pilots and cabin crew, and stays responsible for maintaining the jet and insuring it. PIA sells the tickets, sets the schedules and runs the commercial side of the flights.
PIA signed the agreement with Norse Atlantic on 9 October 2026. It covers two Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with flights expected to begin at the start of November.
Why lease instead of buy? Buying a new wide-body jet costs hundreds of millions of dollars and takes years from order to delivery. A wet lease lets an airline add capacity in weeks, without a huge upfront payment. For PIA, which is still rebuilding after privatisation, that speed matters.
There is a trade-off. The aircraft still wear Norse Atlantic’s colours — the jet that landed in Islamabad had “NORSE” written in large blue letters down its side — and Norse crews fly them. Pakistani media reported the deal is initially for six months, which would make the Dreamliners a bridge to a longer-term fleet plan rather than a permanent solution on their own.
What happens next
The first Dreamliner is only the start. Here is what PIA’s management has told parliament and the public so far:
A second Dreamliner is on its way. PIA managers told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Privatisation this week that the second Boeing 787-9 is expected to arrive by mid-December. It will add more seats on the busy UK routes.
Two more aircraft arrive in January 2027. The airline has also arranged two more relatively newer jets, aged around seven to eight years, which are expected to join the fleet in January next year. That would give PIA four additional aircraft within three months of the first Dreamliner landing.
Karachi to London direct flights return in March 2027. Privatisation Secretary Usman Bajwa told the committee that PIA plans to start direct flights from Karachi to London in March 2027 as part of its route expansion. At present the Dreamliners are flying from Islamabad and Lahore to London Heathrow, with Manchester services following from mid-November.
More UK flights. According to schedule filings, the Dreamliner has replaced PIA’s Boeing 777-200ERs on Islamabad to London Heathrow five times a week and Lahore to Heathrow twice a week. Altogether, the new aircraft will lift PIA’s weekly UK flights to seven.
Why this matters: a privatised airline trying to fly again
The Dreamliner’s arrival is the first visible fleet move since PIA was privatised in December 2025, when a consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation won a 75 percent stake in the airline for Rs135 billion, ending decades of state ownership.
The new owners inherited an airline in deep trouble. Arab News reported that PIA had racked up losses of more than $2.8 billion before the sale. Years of political interference, bloated staffing and an ageing fleet had left the national carrier struggling to compete.
The scale of the challenge was laid out before the privatisation committee this week. PIA is currently flying only 17 or 18 aircraft, with more than a dozen others grounded. Before the Dreamliner’s arrival, its fleet stood at 32 aircraft — 12 Boeing 777s, 17 Airbus A320s and three ATR turboprops — but many of them are not in service.
The new management has set an ambitious target: Arab News reported that it wants to grow the fleet to 64 aircraft over about eight years. The Dreamliner deal is the first step, but it is a modest one — two leased jets against a grounded fleet of more than a dozen.
There is also new leadership. Adrian Hamilton-Manns, an aviation executive with more than 30 years of experience, officially became PIA’s chief executive on 2 November 2026, succeeding Air Vice Marshal Aamir Hayat. His job will be to turn the fleet plan into a working airline — restructuring operations, expanding the fleet and restoring the carrier to commercial health.
What it means for passengers
For travellers, the changes should be noticeable quickly — especially on the UK routes, where PIA faces competition from Gulf carriers and other airlines.
Newer aircraft. Passengers flying to London will travel on a Dreamliner rather than an older Boeing 777. The 787 is quieter, the cabin air is less dry, and the aircraft burns less fuel, which helps the airline keep costs down.
More choice. With more aircraft joining in December and January, and Karachi-London flights from March, passengers in Pakistan’s biggest city will once again have a direct link to London.
Better feedback so far. Privatisation Secretary Usman Bajwa told the committee that passenger feedback on PIA’s UK flights has been encouraging, particularly on flight schedules and food quality. The committee also raised concerns about fleet and service quality, and officials were asked to explain the grounded aircraft.
For the large Pakistani diaspora in Britain — one of PIA’s most loyal customer groups — a reliable direct service matters more than the aircraft type. Families visiting relatives, students travelling to university and business travellers all depend on these routes.
The challenges ahead
The Dreamliner is good news, but it does not fix PIA on its own. Several big questions remain:
The grounded fleet. More than a dozen aircraft are sitting on the ground. Getting them back into service — or replacing them — is expensive and slow. Until that happens, PIA’s network stays small.
The lease is short-term. If the Norse Atlantic deal is indeed for an initial six months, PIA will need a longer-term answer for its long-haul fleet. Arab News reported that Pakistan has been pressing Boeing to speed up delivery of the Dreamliners it plans to acquire — a sign that the airline is thinking about owning the jets eventually, not just leasing them.
Money. Growing a fleet to 64 aircraft over eight years will cost billions of dollars. The new owners have promised investment, but the airline must also start making money. In September, the federal government made clear it was not buying planes for the carrier — the days of state-funded bailouts are over, and PIA must now stand on its own finances.
Competition. The Gulf carriers — Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad — carry a large share of Pakistan’s international traffic through their hubs. PIA’s advantage is direct flights. Its disadvantage is a smaller network and a damaged reputation for reliability that will take time to rebuild.
A small step, but a real one
For years, news about PIA was mostly bad: grounded planes, cancelled routes, mounting losses and failed privatisation attempts. The arrival of the Dreamliner does not erase any of that. But it is the first time in a long while that the airline has added a modern wide-body jet to its fleet — and the first time any Pakistani airline has flown a Boeing 787.
The test now is whether the new management can keep the momentum going: a second Dreamliner in December, two more aircraft in January, Karachi-London flights in March, and a plan to bring grounded jets back into service.
If it does, the Dreamliner’s arrival will be remembered as the moment PIA started flying again. If it does not, it will be remembered as a photo opportunity. Passengers — and the millions of Pakistanis who depend on the airline — will be watching closely.
Frequently asked questions
When did PIA’s first Dreamliner arrive?
The first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arrived at Islamabad International Airport on Sunday, 1 November 2026, flying in from London Heathrow as flight PK786.
Does PIA own the Dreamliner?
No. The aircraft is wet-leased from Norway’s Norse Atlantic Airways under an ACMI agreement. Norse provides the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance, while PIA sells tickets and runs the flights. The deal, signed on 9 October 2026, covers two Boeing 787-9s.
Is this the first Boeing 787 flown by a Pakistani airline?
Yes. PIA says it is the first airline in Pakistan to operate a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
When will the second Dreamliner arrive?
PIA managers told parliament’s privatisation committee that the second Dreamliner is expected by mid-December 2026. Two more aircraft, aged around seven to eight years, are expected to join the fleet in January 2027.
Which routes will the Dreamliners fly?
The Dreamliners are flying PIA’s UK routes — Islamabad and Lahore to London Heathrow, with Manchester services from mid-November. Direct flights from Karachi to London are planned from March 2027.
Who owns PIA now?
PIA was privatised in December 2025, when a consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation bought a 75 percent stake for Rs135 billion. Adrian Hamilton-Manns became chief executive on 2 November 2026.
Sources
- Beflaz, “PIA’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arrives in Islamabad”, reporting Dawn’s coverage, 1 November 2026: https://beflaz.com/news/2026-11-01-pia-s-first-boeing-787-9-dreamliner-arrives-in-islamabad-1c178b.html
- Signal, “Adrian Hamilton-Manns becomes PIA CEO”, citing Dawn, 2 November 2026: https://signal.oueway.com/events/09864a7e-f4f6-5bfe-ad20-c2c363023274
- WE News English, “Boeing 787: a new chapter in PIA’s fleet expansion”: https://wenewsenglish.com/boeing-787-a-new-chapter-in-pias-fleet-expansion/
- Focus Pakistan, “PIA Adds Dreamliners, Yet 14 Aircraft Remain Grounded After Privatisation”, 5 November 2026: https://www.focuspakistan.com/article/pia-dreamliner-leased-crew-grounded-aircraft-copy-slug
- Bloom Pakistan, “PIA Begins Fleet Revival After Privatisation, Adds Two Dreamliners”, 5 November 2026: https://bloompakistan.com/pia-begins-fleet-revival-after-privatisation-adds-two-dreamliners/
- Islamabad Scene, “PIA’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner arrives in Islamabad as airline expands fleet”: https://www.islamabadscene.com/pias-first-boeing-787-9-dreamliner-arrives-in-islamabad-as-airline-expands-fleet/
- Hamariweb eNews, “PIA welcomes first of two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in Islamabad”: https://enews.hamariweb.com/pakistan/pia-welcomes-first-of-two-boeing-787-9-dreamliners-in-islamabad/
- MigFlug, “PIA Boeing 787-9 first Dreamliner, Norse Atlantic wet lease, Islamabad 2026”: https://migflug.com/afterburner/pia-boeing-787-9-first-dreamliner-norse-atlantic-wet-lease-islamabad-2026/
- Aviation News EU, “Norse Atlantic signs major ACMI deal with PIA to supply Boeing 787 Dreamliners for UK routes”, October 2026: https://aviationnews.eu/news/2026/10/norse-atlantic-signs-major-acmi-deal-with-pia-to-supply-boeing-787-dreamliners-for-uk-routes/
- EIN News, Pakistan International Airlines news feed: https://airlines.einnews.com/news/pakistan-international-airlines
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
