ISLAMABAD: To celebrate the first Lahore-Urumqi resumption flight on June 13, a special cake-cutting ceremony was held at Allama Iqbal International Airport. Chinese Consul General in Lahore, Zhao Shiren, cut the festive cake in the presence of dignitaries including Ms. Zhang Xingru, General Manager of the Lahore Office for China Southern Airlines, Nazir Ahmed Khan, COO of Allama Iqbal International Airport, Muhammad Rashid, Additional Director of Airport Security, Safdar Wattoo, Additional Director of the Special Protection Unit, and Chinese diplomats.
In a post-pandemic development, the first direct flight from Lahore to Urumqi finally resumed after a plane from China Southern Airlines took off from Allama Iqbal International Airport at 9:50 am on June 13 (Tuesday).
The Urumqi-Lahore route was suspended on January 24, 2020, due to Covid-19 restrictions on the aviation sector. The event marked a significant moment as flights resumed after more than three years from the capital of Punjab, Pakistan to the capital of Xinjiang, China. The flights are scheduled on a weekly basis, specifically on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Consul General Zhao Shiren said that after a more than three-year suspension, the inaugural passenger aircraft of China Southern Airlines had arrived at Allama Iqbal International Airport and commenced its resumption flight from Lahore to Urumqi. –Agencies
