The fares slightly vary for passengers with 20 kgs and 35 kgs of baggage
Pakistan International Airline (PIA), the national flag carrier, has lowered its rate for domestic flights. For the moment, these rates are applicable for travel between Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, according to the airline’s spokesperson.
PIA announced fixed rates of 7,400 rupees for the one-way ticket along with 20 kg cargo weight for flights that take off and land within these cities. The return ticket for the same route is 13,500 rupees with the baggage restricted at 20kgs.
“The one-way fare for Lahore-Islamabad has been fixed at 7,879 rupees. Only hand-carry luggage will be allowed for the passengers availing the discounted facility,” the spokesperson said. It was added that the fare for the trip with freight of goods weighing up to 35kg has been fixed at 8,543 rupees.
Flying in times of COVID-19
PIA, like all airlines, is practicing social distancing on its flights to ensure that the passengers do not catch coronavirus on board. The passengers sit at a distance of one seat from each other during the flights. They are required to wear face masks and provided with hand sanitizers several times during the flight. Food is not served on the flights as a precaution and only bottled water is available for the passengers.
A revival effort?
PIA currently is going through tough times, especially after a temporary ban on the airline to carry flights to Europe. In recent years, PIA brought a bad name to itself for often being late while charging exuberant fares from the domestic passengers. The lower-cost tickets may cause some loss in the short term to the airline but should help its revival in years to come as it rebuilds its reputation as a reliable name.