Norse Atlantic to lease two 787-9s to Pakistan International Airlines

Norse Atlantic Airways will lease two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) under an ACMI contract. The deal helps the struggling Norwegian carrier shore up its finances after losing a major wet-lease customer in July. Flight operations for PIA are expected to begin in No

Norse Atlantic Airways said on Friday it will lease two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), in the latest move by the struggling Norwegian carrier to shore up its finances. The agreement helps Norse retain a key ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) contract after India's largest airline IndiGo said in July it would end its wet-lease arrangement with the Norwegian group.

Flight operations for flag carrier PIA are scheduled to begin in November 2026. Norse, faced with soaring jet fuel costs, has been reducing its exposure to low-cost transatlantic services and increasing its focus on ACMI, under which it leases aircraft and crews to other airlines for a fee.

Norse said long-term ACMI agreements with major international airlines help shield the company from swings in passenger demand and fuel prices. The carrier added that it is in talks with other airlines about potential ACMI contracts. Norse operates a fleet of 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The low-cost carrier started a formal process for a possible sale or merger in July.