Date:10/01/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/10/stories/2004011010741100.htm

National

IA resumes service to Lahore

NEW DELHI, JAN. 9. After two years of snapped aviation ties between the two neighbours, an Indian Airlines aircraft today undertook the first trip to Pakistan carrying a thin complement of passengers to and from Lahore.

The flight, IC-845, took off from the IGI Airport here at 1.45 p.m. and reached Lahore at around 2 p.m. It returned as IC-846 from the Pakistani city and landed here at 4.30 p.m. The aircraft used in the operation was an Airbus A-320.

Officials said the number of passengers in the flight from here was low ``because the liberalisation and relaxation of visa procedures are yet to be done by Pakistan'' for air travellers. Most of the visas issued so far had Wagah border in Punjab as the entry point and not Lahore. — PTI