Pakistan International Airlines

[Aviador]

Shaheen also used to cancel flights at times of religious festivals.

I knew there was something else I had to mention! Yes it did. When Shaheen first started, the flights were so popular they immediately increased the scheduled size of aircraft from the MD-80/ RJ85. These were supposed to feed the Boeing 767-300 at Sweden's Skavsta Airport. They decided they needed to operate the route with the 767-300 basing at Leeds for part of the week. The airline went into difficulty around the time of Eid, if I remember correctly, because there was a slump in passenger numbers shortly before they ceased trading. It was such a shame because it was a fantastic airline and the crew were all very polite and professional.

..back to PIA, various people are now saying that the PIA will be upgraded from October. Nothing official as yet as far as I know but let's keep our fingers crossed.

 

[backtrack]

and maybe then...just maybe... we will finally see the B777?

 

[lbaspotter]

Hi all

Apparently change in equipment from Boeing 777 to Airbus A310-300 on the Manchester and Birmingham routes & Cancellation of flights on some of PIA's other UK services is a temporary move because of the planned Hajj flights operation that is due to start around October 22 this year in and around Pakistan.

Like last year it looks like PIA is going to operate all Hajj flights with its own Boeing 747, Boeing 777 and the Airbus A310-300 that are still banned from UK and European sky's. Apparently, because of a number of PIA Boeing 777s getting busy in Hajj operations, some of Boeing 777 flights to UK will be operated with six A310-300s which are cleared to operate flights to EU member states.

I do believe that the Boeing 777's will return on the UK flights after completion of Hajj operation. I guess post-Hajj flights operation would be completed around the end of December/Eary January 2010.

Hope that helps.
So going by this the A310's will be staying on the LBA routes at least until January 2010.

 

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Hi everyone, I went to Pakistan in February and took some vids. Only posted them yesterday.

Inside Islamabad Airport Pakistan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FidKw_J0Sto

Inside PIA 775 Taxing towards the Runway at Islamabad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0tHnKsFx98

And this is the one you've all been waiting for, the landing at Leeds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMjiByQgI2s

 

[Aviador]

Very good *-City Of Bradford-* I was amazed at how nice the Islamabad airport in Pakistan looked given that it is considered as a third world country.

The Islamabad airport handles around the same number of passengers as LBA in case you didn't know.

Your approach into Leeds Bradford was from the North West end coming over the Chevin before landing. The landing on runway 14 seemed uneventful. 14 is the shorter end to land on so it can sometimes require more breaking.

 

[White Heather]

That was very interesting to watch - thanks.

Also interesting however is that you seem to have changed the name of the airport to LBA Bradford and posted it on U-Tube! So now, all those people who view it around the world will think there is an airport called LBA Bradford. I know you are very 'pro Bradford' but it would have been nice if you had used the correct airport name and not omitted Leeds completely. After all, there are many thousands of Pakistani people in Leeds too. How about changing it to just Leeds Bradford Airport, which is after all, exactly what it is??

 

[backtrack]

Infact, ISB airport looks a lot better than some of our more should i say "regional" airports. I know it is international and copes with B747 & B777 all day but if compared to LBA, and you say it handles similar pax numbers to LBA, ours is lacking an airport look and feel, hence the need for terminal revamp etc sooner rather than later.

City of Bradford, can i ask, when you were filming all this, airport and onboard, were you at any point questioned for your filming? Are we allowed to film these things freely?

And i also feel very strongly about the name. Its real name is Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA). Not just because im from Leeds, but i dont ever want to see Leeds ommited. Personally, i feel the name Leeds has a stronger output than that of Bradford to international travellers, but for the time being i dont want to see Bradford ommited either. Untill the airport decide upon this so called "needed name change", we should address it as it has been for these many many years gone by.


(Yeadon aerodrome would be more acceptable

 

[WYIA]

Ha lol, video 2... the purser says the flight time to "leeds"

See its all about Leeds baby hehehe

 

[Aviador]

Ha lol, video 2... the purser says the flight time to "leeds"

See its all about Leeds baby hehehe

 

[White Heather]

Wish I had turned the sound up now!!

Funnily enough the big PIA ads at the airport only say Leeds too, yet their world route map says Bradford!!

If ever there was proof that having two cities in the airport name causes an identity crisis, PIA are that proof. They don't seem to know where they are flying to! At least they can spell Bradford properly - the Islamabad airport website route map also only shows Bradford - but they spell it Bredford!

 

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

City of Bradford, can i ask, when you were filming all this, airport and onboard, were you at any point questioned for your filming? Are we allowed to film these things freely?

If you look at the Taxing the Taxing to Runway Video at Islamabad (Can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0tHnKsFx98), look at the end you can hear one of the cabin crew saying, "Sir Sir Sir", telling me to switch it off so I did meaning I wasn't able to take a take off video at Islamabad. During the rest of the flight I had no problems though.

And i also feel very strongly about the name. Its real name is Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA). Not just because im from Leeds, but i dont ever want to see Leeds ommited. Personally, i feel the name Leeds has a stronger output than that of Bradford to international travellers, but for the time being i dont want to see Bradford ommited either.

I also feel very strongly about the name, I don't want to see Bradford ever ommited from the name, but it's regualary ommited, for once Leeds has been ommited and look at the outrage :sad:

Ha lol, video 2... the purser says the flight time to "leeds"

See its all about Leeds baby hehehe

*Curses the PIA staff.

 

[yorkshire]

im from bingley which is in the bradford area and i think they should keep the Bradford name more so than leeds but hey leeds/ bradford sounds ok to me much better than Yeadon as it was years ago.

 

[ex_crew]

I think the Bradford bit has run its course, the airport is in Leeds with a Leeds P/C ( LS19 7TU.) and a Leeds phone number.

 

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

I think the Bradford bit has run its course, the airport is in Leeds with a Leeds P/C ( LS19 7TU.) and a Leeds phone number.

Look at the history, it's always been a joint leeds and bradford project. It's much closer to Bradford City centre than it is to Leeds.

 

[Aviador]

Look at the history, it's always been a joint leeds and bradford project. It's much closer to Bradford City centre than it is to Leeds.

That's only because the city of Leeds is much bigger than the city of Bradford. Like it or not the airport is within Leeds. The economic importance of Bradford is significantly less than Leeds and there is no sign of this changing for the foreseeable future.

Any further discussions about the airports name (or location) should be directed to the 'Leeds Bradford General Thread' Please feel free to continue the discussion there.

Back to PIA specific....

 

[Bigman]

CAA stats out for August now. very interesting reading. Islamabad-LBA up 36%, MAN down 38%. Overall between LBA/MAN numbers dropped from 24000 down to 17000, which I am reliably informed is due to Ramadan. So, that makes the LBA figure look even better!!!

P.S - as a whole LBA down 5% to 328,302 (2,620,088 for rolling year, only 77,548 ahead of Belfast City who were up 8.3%). We could drop down a place next month!!.

 

[White Heather]

I think that Belfast City's rise up the charts is probably due to Ryanair going in there along with Aer Lingus. However, I noted on the UK Airport News site that one or t'other (can't remember which but probably Aer Lingus) is pulling 6 routes out of Belfast City, so that might stunt their growth and preserve our position for now.

I guess that our 36% increase on ISB will largely be down to the fact that we have one extra flight per week than we did last August. Even so, this is very encouraging and shows without doubt that there are many passengers who will choose the LBA flight ahead of the one from MAN. Imagine how many more might make that choice if we had the 777 as they do at MAN?

 

[Aviador]

White Heater, Aer Lingus use Belfast International Airport as their base not Belfast City as your post suggest but as you say, the Ryanair base at the City airport will have made a difference.

Excellent news re the PIA loads. Lets hope we see the Boeing 777 on the route soon.

 

[lbaspotter]

Hi

By all acounts and I dont know how true this rumour is but i have been imformed that some new airside equipment has been ordered by Serviair up at LBA this week. This includes a new towbar for push back that i'll fit a Boeing 777-200 aircarft and some other stuff thats going to be required.

Anyone else heard owt???

 

[Aviador]

I have heard mixed reports, some positive and some negative. Some people are suggesting that the service will be upgraded to a Boeing 777 during October. Other people are suggesting that this plan is now cancelled and the A310 is to remain for the foreseeable future.

Something seems to be happening but nothing has been announced officially as far as I am aware. A point to note is that the airport will not be H24 from the start of the winter season, so whatever happens PIA will need to ensure they have good time keeping.