Lahore to Guangzhou flights resume this month for flyers

LAHORE – China Southern Airlines has said that flights from Pakistan’s metropolis Lahore to Chinese city Guangzhou will start again from December 20.

According to official sources at Allama Iqbal International Airport, China Southern Airline restarted its first route, the Lahore-Urumqi route, in June 2023.

Likewise, the second route from Lahore to Guangzhou is also being resumed on December 20, 2023. The reopened route is anticipated to operate nearly three return flights, accommodating around 177 passengers per flight.

This indicates a growing and positive relationship between Pakistan and China, according to sources. This flight operation is essential because it can boost trade and tourism between China and Pakistan.

The resumption of flight operations is a positive development and is likely to benefit people associated with sectors like education and tourism in both countries.

Earlier, Pakistan International Airlines also announced to start flights between Pakistan and 16 cities in China via Beijing.

A senior official of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said the flights have been introduced in collaboration with Air China.

The cities now connected through PIA are Guangzhou, Wuhan, Urumqi, Shenzhen, Xian, Shenyang, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nanjing, Harbin, Hangzhou, Hohhot, Dunhuang, Chengdu, Changchun, and Chongqing.

Commenting on the expanded connectivity, PIA Country Manager Bilal Afzal said the carrier is currently operating one weekly flight on the Islamabad-Beijing-Islamabad route every Sunday but was exploring the option of adding a new direct flight between the two countries.

The official said PIA offers a 20% discount for students with free baggage of 80 kgs for the economy class while the allowed limit is 100 kgs for executive class, adding that discounts on cargo from China to Pakistan and vice versa are also being offered and businessmen and traders can avail the benefit. 

The expansion of the PIA operation is a piece of welcome news as the national carrier is facing severe challenges with each passing day. Recently, it demanded a bailout package worth Rs 23 billion from the federal government but the request was den