Karachi:
It is planned that a team from the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States (FAA) visit Pakistan in March to evaluate the viability of resuming direct flights between Pakistan and the United States.
In preparation for the visit, Islamabad has already paid the required rate of $ 75,000, the sources have revealed.
Direct flights from Pakistan to the United States were suspended in 2017 and efforts to restore them faced setbacks due to Covid-19 pandemic and the Pia 2020 plane accident in Karachi.
After the prohibition of the European Union of the National Carrier, FAA reduced the Pakistan aviation security rating of the CA1 category to the CA2 category, further delaying flight resumption.
During the Covid-19 crisis, Pakistan received a special permit to operate 12 flights through humanitarian land to the United States, seven of which were carried out successfully.
To pave the way for flight resumption, PIA and PCAA have taken several measures to address regulatory and regulatory concerns. The team of five FAA members is expected to perform a preliminary evaluation in March, marking a crucial step to restore the Pakistan aviation rating. In addition, the authorization of the US Transportation Security Administration will be required. (TSA) before flights may officially resume.
If restrictions are raised, it is expected that Pia restores direct flights to the main US cities, including New York, Chicago and Houston. In the past, Pia operated his American flights through Manchester, but efforts now focus on establishing connectivity without stopping.
