PIA will launch two weekly flights to UK starting from October 25
The Pakistan International Airlines
(PIA) will restart two weekly flights to the United Kingdom beginning October
25, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced on Saturday.
The announcement followed
confirmation that the UK Civil Aviation Authority had granted PIA a Foreign
Aircraft Operating Permit, completing the final step for the airline’s return
to British skies.
Britain had lifted its restrictions
on Pakistani carriers in July 2025, nearly five years after suspending them in
the aftermath of the 2020 Karachi plane crash, which killed 97 people and
triggered investigations into pilot licensing irregularities.
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“We have finally planned for the first flight to the UK (Islamabad to Manchester and back) on October 25, with a weekly frequency of two flights,” Asif said on X. He added that services to Birmingham and London would follow in the next phase.
According to Pakistan’s High
Commission in London, the move will greatly benefit the 1.7 million-strong
Pakistani diaspora in the UK, providing a direct and convenient travel option.
Britain remains Pakistan’s third-largest
trading partner, with annual bilateral trade valued at around £4.7 billion
($5.7 billion).
PIA’s return to the UK marks another
milestone in its gradual recovery, following the European Union Aviation Safety
Agency’s decision in November 2024 to lift its suspension, enabling flights to
resume between Islamabad–Paris in January and Lahore–Paris in June 2025.
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However, PIA remains under financial strain, with losses exceeding $2.5 billion over the past decade. The government is currently pursuing the airline’s privatization under its commitments to the $7 billion IMF program aimed at reforming state-owned enterprises.
Source: Arab News