British Airways on Tuesday (18) has announced that it will fly from Heathrow to Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, from June 2, 2019.
With the latest move, British Airways will resume its flight service to Pakistan after a decade long absence following an Islamist terrorist truck bomb caused for the death of 50 people at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.
The route will launch as a three-per-week service, operated on a three-class Boeing 787 Dreamliner- British Airways’ newest long-haul fleet.
Robert Williams, Head of Sales for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, said, “it’s exciting to be flying between Islamabad and Heathrow from next year, which we believe will be particularly popular with the British Pakistani community who want to visit, or be visited by, their relatives.
“On the route, customers will enjoy the very best in flying. Not only is it being operated on our newest long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, but it will also be landing in to the new airport in Islamabad, which opened earlier this year,” he added.
Thomas Drew CMG, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, said, “I am delighted to be welcoming British Airways back to Pakistan… I see this launch as a vote of confidence in the future of those links- and, of course, a reflection of the great improvements in the security situation in Pakistan in recent years. The return of British Airways will give a particular boost to our growing trade and investment links. British Airways itself joins an increasing number of British companies doing business in Pakistan.”
Islamabad is one of four long-haul routes being launched by British Airways in 2019, its centenary year. The airline is also launching direct flights to Pittsburgh and Charleston in the US and Osaka in Japan, alongside several short-haul routes.
A protestor is detained by the police during a demonstration against the proposed site of the new Chinese Embassy, outside Royal Mint Court, in London. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso. 
