Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, acquired on lease last month, arrived in Islamabad from London as flight PK786 on Sunday.

A PIA spokesperson, in a statement, said that the carrier is the first Pakistani airline to have added a Boeing 787-9 to its fleet.

PIA Chief Executive Aamir Hayat, accompanied by his team, welcomed the Dreamliner at Islamabad airport, according to the statement.

The plane is equipped with modern technology, including in-flight entertainment, and features a spacious and comfortable cabin, PIA said.

“The inclusion of the Dreamliner is part of a strategy to modernise PIA’s fleet and strengthen its international network,” the spokesperson said.

“PIA’s objective is to provide international-standard travel facilities and a more comfortable air travel experience to passengers through modern aircraft.”

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is a long-range, twin-engine plane with up to 325 seats. Previously, PIA’s fleet consisted of 12 Boeing 777 jets, 15 Airbus A320 planes and five smaller ATRs.

Last month, PIA signed an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) lease agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways to acquire two state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, one of which arrived in Islamabad on Sunday.

A PIA spokesperson at the time said the addition of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner would mark the start of the airline’s expansion.

By expanding its fleet, the airline aims to meet rising demand with direct flights and broader global connectivity, he added.

The aircraft would operate direct long-haul flights from Pakistan to the United Kingdom, he said, adding that they would support PIA operations between different points in the UK and Pakistan.

The development also comes as the government in September clarified that it was not buying any aircraft for the former national carrier after reports emerged of a federal minister arranging and negotiating sovereign-linked financing for PIA jets.

PIA was privatised in December last year through an auction. A consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation Limited had won the auction for 75 per cent shares of PIA in December last year, making a winning bid of Rs135 billion. The Arif Habib-led consortium had vowed to transform the loss-making airline through operational restructuring, fleet expansion, and improved customer service.