For the first time in its history, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is operating a direct non-stop flight to the US city of Chicago.
After a historic flight to New York on March 31, PIA Boeing 777-240LR direct, non-stop flight is now on its way back to Islamabad from Chicago.
United States Department of Transport allowed PIA to operate up to 12 special relief flights directly to the United States to bring back stranded Pakistanis.
PIA served Chicago O'Hare and Houston in prior years. The carrier launched Chicago destination initially in May 2003, on a weekly basis with a stopover in Birmingham, UK, using an Airbus A310. It later moved its stopover to Manchester in April 2004.
The Chicago service was suspended in August 2007, when the European Union banned PIA's A310s and 747s, but resumed it in May 2010, with a stopover in Barcelona, using a Boeing 777-200ER. Chicago was cancelled again in March 2012.
The PIA initially operated these special flights indirectly by first flying to Toronto, Canada, or carrying forward a flight from the United Kingdom. It is important to note that the PIA has been flying to the United States since 1961.
Last time the PIA had to stop flying to Chicago due to the European Union ban on its fleet so it had to divert its fleet to other routes. The PIA restarted Chicago flight via Barcelona on 2nd June 2010. But this flight was also suspended.