Pakistan’s PIA resumes Kabul ops on a charter basis

PIA – Pakistan International Airlines (PK, Islamabad Quaid-e-Azam Int’l) has denied earlier reports that it has resumed scheduled flights to Kabul adding that it will serve the Afghan capital on charter basis, the first flight of which operated on Monday, September 13.

On September 11, spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan told the AFP news agency that the airline had already obtained all the necessary approvals for the launch of flights on September 13. However, a day later, he clarified that his statement was allegedly taken out of context. He underlined that there were still “a lot of factors” to consider before scheduled flights could restart.

“We had actually applied for charter flight permission to Kabul,” he told Voice of America, clarifying that international institutions and organisations still present in Kabul were in contact with PIA concerning their needs for the evacuation of employees.

Khan added that even those charter flights still required further “agreements”, which were not in place as of September 12.

Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul on August 15, the airport remained active for military and military-authorised flights only until the end of the US evacuation on August 30. In early September, the Turkish and Qatari technicians arrived to secure the facility and help the Taliban reopen it to traffic. On September 3, Ariana Afghan Airlines resumed limited domestic operations to Kandahar, Herat, and Mazar i Sharif. Foreign humanitarian charter flights, operated with military aircraft, have also been operating into Kabul. While Ariana Afghan Airlines is in talks about restarting international operations, so far, neither it nor any other airline has resumed any such flights.

While Kabul airport is currently operational with functioning air traffic control, radar services and navigational aids, most of Afghanistan’s airspace remains uncontrolled. According to the most recent NOTAM issued on September 8, Kabul’s radar coverage extends 50 nautical miles (92.6 kilometres) around the airport.