British Airways on Tuesday announced direct flights from Lahore, City of Garden known for its rich culture, to London, US and Canada.

British Airways said Lahore will be the second city in Pakistan as the airline already flies every single day from Islamabad, connecting friends and family as well as business contacts. Flights will be operated by a Boeing 787-8 departing from Heathrow Terminal 5, landing into Lahore’s International Airport.

British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Christian Turner said that the first ever British Airways flights to Lahore is a sign of confidence in Pakistan, and the deepening ties between our two countries. “I hope it will open up even more opportunities for business links, people-to-people ties and tourism,” he added.

Moran Birger, Head of Sales for The Middle East and Asia Pacific, said, “We are delighted to start direct flights four times a week from Lahore to London offering convenient travel options for customers flying for leisure or business. Our new services from Lahore will connect two of Pakistan’s biggest cities with London, and offer seamless transfer options to Manchester, the United States and Canada.”

”Following the relaunch of services from Islamabad to Heathrow earlier 2020, this new flight from Lahore represents our continued investment in Pakistan, and we look forward to welcoming our customers on board,” he further added.

It is pertinent to note that Return fares from Pakistan if booked on ba.com start from $657 in World Traveller, $998 for World Traveller Plus, and $1806 for Club World, the airline said.

In response to Covid-19, British Airways has introduced a range of measures to keep its customers safe. Prior to travel, they will receive information on changes at their airport and onboard experience and tips on how to prepare for their journey. Customers will also be asked to help manage the wellness of everyone travelling by:

·         Checking-in online, downloading their boarding pass and where possible self-scanning their boarding passes at the departure gate.

·         Observing social distancing and using hand sanitisers that are placed throughout airports.

·         Using new contactless, automated features at our lounges, including a new online food and drink service.

·         Wearing a facemask at all times and bringing enough to replace them every four hours for longer flights.

·         Ensuring they have everything they need from their hand luggage before departure, and where possible, storing their carry-on bag under the seat in front of them.

·         Not travelling if they think they have any symptoms of Covid-19.

On board, all cabin crew will wear PPE and a new food service has been introduced which reduces the number of interactions required with customers.

Surfaces including seats, screens, seat buckles and tray tables will be cleaned after every flight and each aircraft is completely cleaned from nose to tail every day.

The air on all British Airways flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with over 99.9% efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating theatre standards.