Pakistan International Airlines has received its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the first Dreamliner operated by a Pakistani airline. The aircraft arrived at Islamabad International Airport (ISB) from London Heathrow (LHR) on November 1, 2026, operating as flight PK786.
The aircraft was not bought new: it is wet-leased from Norse Atlantic Airways under an ACMI agreement covering two Boeing 787-9s that was signed in October. Under the arrangement, Norse Atlantic provides the aircraft and crew and keeps responsibility for maintenance and insurance, while PIA operates the passenger services. Pakistani media reports described the jet as about eight years old, having entered commercial service in May 2018, with a reported capacity of 358 passengers and in-flight entertainment.
The main purpose is to add capacity between Pakistan and the United Kingdom. PIA returned to London on March 29, 2026, after a six-year absence that followed the lifting of restrictions on Pakistani airlines flying to the UK, and has planned additional services from Islamabad and Lahore to London Heathrow and Manchester. The first Dreamliner is scheduled to replace Boeing 777 equipment on selected London services, with Manchester operations also planned, and a second Dreamliner is expected to add further capacity once it joins the operation.