PIA’s UK Expansion Takes Shape With Two Norse Atlantic Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Pakistan International Airlines has signed an agreement to deploy two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners supplied by Norse Atlantic Airways on UK–Pakistan services. Announced on October 9, 2026, the deal is expected to support flying from early November, giving PIA extra long-haul capacity while offering Norse a new contract for aircraft it wants to redeploy.

A wet lease, not an aircraft purchase

The contract is structured as ACMI, short for aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance. According to Norse Atlantic’s official announcement, the Norwegian carrier will provide all four components. PIA will therefore obtain flying capacity without purchasing the Dreamliners outright, an important distinction for anyone interpreting the arrangement as a fleet order.

Both airlines have identified the UK–Pakistan market as the focus. Operations are planned from the start of November and will connect multiple points in the two countries. Neither party has yet issued a complete list of destinations, frequencies or the contract’s duration, so specific services should not be presented as guaranteed.

Why the UK market matters to PIA

Strong family and community links between Britain and Pakistan underpin a substantial market for direct travel. By adding modern widebody capacity through an established operator, PIA aims to improve seat availability and customer choice on strategically important routes.

PIA chief executive Amir Hayat described the agreement as a way to meet demand and strengthen the carrier’s international network. Whether the additional Dreamliners will introduce new routes or primarily increase capacity on existing links is not yet clear. Travellers should check the airline’s published schedules rather than assume all potential destinations will begin simultaneously.

Norse’s pivot toward aircraft-on-demand

For Norse Atlantic, the arrangement reflects a broader shift away from relying exclusively on ticket sales in its own low-cost long-haul network. ACMI contracts generate revenue from providing aircraft and crews to partner airlines. The carrier has been seeking replacement work following the termination of its arrangement with IndiGo.

Under ACMI, the company supplying the aircraft also supplies crews, maintenance and insurance, while the customer markets the service. Travellers consequently need clarity about the operating carrier, onboard product and disruption handling. The agreement alone does not establish exactly which flights the Dreamliners will operate or their final timetable.

The PIA contract provides a near-term deployment for two Dreamliners and fits Norse’s ‘Airline on Demand’ positioning. The contract value has not been disclosed, and the airlines’ statements do not establish any larger confirmed aircraft commitment.

Key questions ahead of launch

Next milestones include the publication of a route-by-route timetable, confirmation of ticket availability and the aircraft’s entry into service under the agreement. The two-aircraft contract is confirmed, while the precise network and schedules remain to be announced.

Related: AeroSillage’s coverage of Norse’s changing European operations.

For PIA, access to two long-haul aircraft with crews may offer a faster way to rebuild UK connectivity than waiting to acquire and induct its own widebodies. But the economic trade-off matters: under a wet lease, aircraft availability comes with a contract cost and operational dependence on the supplier. The real test will be whether the announced arrangement delivers a stable published schedule, not merely whether two Dreamliners carry PIA passengers on inaugural flights.

Sources: Norse Atlantic Airways, October 9, 2026; Associated Press of Pakistan, October 9, 2026.