Low-cost long-haul carrier **Norse Atlantic Airways** has signed an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) deal to lease two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The agreement, announced 9 October 2026, will allow PIA to launch additional nonstop routes from November between Pakistan and the UK—markets that serve one of Britain’s largest diaspora communities. PIA only returned to the UK last year after a five-year ban related to a pilot-licensing scandal. It currently flies to Heathrow and Manchester; the extra Dreamliners could revive services to Birmingham and add frequencies at peak times such as Eid. Norse CEO Eivind Roald said the partnership “strengthens connectivity for the large Pakistani community in the UK” and advances Norse’s strategy of redeploying winter capacity into ACMI contracts. For mobility planners the news widens travel-programme options on a corridor dominated by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic (codeshare), and Middle-Eastern one-stop alternatives. More direct capacity could put downward pressure on fares during high-season VFR (visiting friends and relatives) peaks and improve cargo uplift for time-sensitive goods between the two countries. However, corporate safety teams should monitor PIA’s operational-quality metrics; while the EU ban is lifted, reputation issues linger. Norse hinted at further ACMI deals with other carriers, an interesting pivot that may see more wet-leased Norwegian-registered aircraft operating from UK airports in 2027. Buyers should track which airline’s conditions of carriage applies when booking codeshare flights to ensure duty-of-care compliance.
Source: Travel Gossip
