United Arab Emirates cargo airline British Gulf International Airlines (BGIA) has extended its wet-lease deal with Pakistan's Royal Airline to offer a daily freight service between Dubai and Lahore via Karachi. Sharjah-based BGIA will supply two of its fleet of five Antonov An-12s for the service, which was established in January following a liberalisation of Pakistan's air transport sector. BGIA's three other An-12s have been used extensively recently for US military supply flights from the Gulf to points in Afghanistan and Iraq, says chief pilot Igor Zhuravlev. The airline will have to find a replacement for the ageing ex-Soviet type within the next five years, he adds.
Source: Flight International
