Pakistan International Airlines has restored direct flights between Islamabad and Beijing, restarting a capital-to-capital link that had been off the schedule since April. The Islamabad-Beijing service began again on October 30, and PIA plans to operate one flight every Friday under the renewed timetable.
The airline said the restored route would give passengers a direct and convenient way to travel between the two capitals. It also said it aims to keep fares competitive and to maintain regular operations in the Chinese market after the long pause.
Why the route was grounded
PIA suspended Beijing flights in April after repeated increases in jet fuel prices. At the same time, it announced the suspension of its Kuala Lumpur flights as part of steps to control operating costs. The airline said then that it could not pass the full burden of higher fuel prices on to passengers and had therefore taken administrative measures to manage expenses.
The return of the Beijing service restores a direct air link between Pakistan and China after a suspension of nearly seven months. For travellers who had relied on that route for business, family visits or onward journeys, the Friday frequency is the first concrete change since the April halt.
Partnerships for travel inside China
Alongside the restart, PIA said it has strengthened cooperation with three major Chinese carriers: Air China, Shenzhen Airlines and Hainan Airlines. The aim is to expand connectivity across China beyond a single airport pair.
Through its partnership with Air China, PIA passengers can connect via Beijing to several domestic destinations in China. Beijing is one of the country’s main aviation hubs, so the tie-up matters for anyone whose final stop is not the capital itself.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- April: PIA suspended Beijing flights after repeated jet fuel price rises and announced the suspension of Kuala Lumpur flights to control costs; it said it could not shift the full fuel burden onto passengers.
- October 30: PIA resumed the Islamabad-Beijing service, with plans for one flight every Friday.
- Around the restart: PIA reported stronger cooperation with Air China, Shenzhen Airlines and Hainan Airlines, including onward connections inside China via Beijing.
What travellers should know next
Under the renewed schedule, the Islamabad-Beijing link is weekly rather than daily. Passengers planning China travel will need to match their dates to the Friday operation and check how codeshare or partner connections work for cities beyond Beijing. PIA has framed the restart as a return to regular China-market flying with competitive fares, but it has not published detailed ticket prices in the material available here.
Aasan alfaaz mein
PIA ne Islamabad se Beijing ki seedhi flight phir shuru kar di hai. Ye service April mein band ho gayi thi aur October 30 ko wapas chali. Ab plan yeh hai ke har Friday ek flight hogi. China ke andar dusre shehron ke liye Air China jaisi airlines ke saath connection bhi maujood hain.
