Boeing (BOE, Washington National) has written to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with a recommendation that PIA - Pakistan International Airlines (PK, Islamabad International) convert its remaining B777-300(ER) orders to B787s.

In a communique issued this week, the Prime Minister's office says Raymond Conner, the President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said the B787 was better suited to PIA's requirements.

"The Prime Minister has directed the concerned quarters to consider the proposal with in the legal framework in vogue and come out with the workables soon," it said.

State-owned PIA ordered a total of eight B777-300(ER)s back in 2002 but to date, has taken delivery of only three.

Aside from its outgoing A310-300 fleet (now officially up for sale), PIA's widebody fleet is dominated by the B777 in the form of six B777-200(ER)s, two B777-200(LR)s, and three B777-300(ER)s. The carrier recently inducted its first of three A330-300s, on lease from SriLankan Airlines (UL, Colombo International), for use on its newly inaugurated "Premier" longhaul flights to London Heathrow.