PIA to restart flights to London from March 2026
Pakistan
International Airlines (PIA) will restart direct flights to London after a
six-year suspension, operating four weekly services from Islamabad beginning
March 29, the national carrier announced on Tuesday.
The flights, expected to operate
from Terminal 4 at London’s Heathrow
Airport, mark PIA’s return to its first and most in-demand international
route, which was suspended in July 2020.
PIA is already operating three
weekly flights to Manchester, a service that resumed on October 25 after a
five-year hiatus. The Manchester route initially relaunched with two weekly
flights before being increased to three, operating on Saturdays and Tuesdays.
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resumes direct flights to UK for the first time after 2020
The airline’s return to UK operations follows formal approval from the UK Department for Transport in September, allowing PIA to operate as a Third Country Operator for both passenger and cargo services. The approval included the issuance of a five-year ACC3 certification, covering flight security and cargo operations and restoring confidence in the airline’s safety and operational standards.
PIA’s UK and European operations
were suspended in July 2020 after revelations that several Pakistani pilots
were flying with fake licences. The issue was acknowledged by then aviation
minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan following the tragic crash of a PIA Airbus A320 in
Karachi that claimed nearly 100 lives.
The scandal led to bans by aviation
authorities in the UK, European Union, and the United States, costing the airline
an estimated Rs40 billion ($144 million) annually in lost revenue. Despite the
restrictions, PIA achieved a milestone in January 2025 by resuming direct
flights to Europe with a service from Islamabad to Paris.
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allows Pakistani airlines after a hiatus of five years
The expansion of UK operations comes amid PIA’s privatisation process. On December 24, a consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation emerged as the highest bidder in a live-televised auction for a 75% stake in the airline, offering Rs135 billion — above the government’s reserve price of Rs100 billion. The national carrier is expected to come under new ownership by April 2026, marking a significant step forward after last year’s failed privatisation attempt.
Source: Express Tribune