Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) received its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on Sunday, when the aircraft arrived in Islamabad from London as flight PK786, Dawn reported.

The plane was taken on lease last month. A PIA spokesperson said in a statement that the carrier is the first Pakistani airline to add a Boeing 787-9 to its fleet.

PIA Chief Executive Aamir Hayat, accompanied by his team, welcomed the aircraft at Islamabad airport, the statement said.

The airline said the plane has modern technology, including in-flight entertainment, and a spacious, comfortable cabin.

“The inclusion of the Dreamliner is part of a strategy to modernise PIA’s fleet and strengthen its international network,” the spokesperson said. “PIA’s objective is to provide international-standard travel facilities and a more comfortable air travel experience to passengers through modern aircraft.”

The 787-9 is a long-range, twin-engine aircraft with up to 325 seats. PIA’s fleet previously comprised 12 Boeing 777s, 15 Airbus A320s and five smaller ATR planes.

Last month, PIA signed an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) lease agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways for two Boeing 787-9s, one of which arrived on Sunday.

A PIA spokesperson said at the time that the addition of the Dreamliners would mark the start of the airline’s expansion. The aircraft will operate direct long-haul flights between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, he said.

The development comes after the government clarified in September that it was not buying any aircraft for the former national carrier. The clarification followed reports that a federal minister was arranging and negotiating sovereign-linked financing for PIA jets.

PIA was privatised through an auction in December 2025. A consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation Limited won a 75 percent stake with a bid of Rs135 billion. The consortium has pledged to turn around the loss-making airline through operational restructuring, fleet expansion and better customer service.

Source: Dawn