PIA set to enter London skies after a gap of six years
Pakistan
International Airlines (PIA) will restart flights to London on March 29,
marking a significant step in reviving its UK operations after a six-year
suspension, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Mohammad
Faisal, announced on Tuesday.
The move comes after PIA re-entered the UK
market in October 2025 with flights to Manchester, following the lifting of a
ban by British authorities in July. The airline currently operates four weekly
flights to Manchester and is now looking to gradually expand services to other
UK destinations.
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actively seeking to reinstate PIA flights to UK
Faisal confirmed that the first flight to London
is scheduled to land on March 29 and expressed hope that flight frequency will
increase in the coming months. Initially, PIA plans to operate two to three
weekly flights to London alongside its existing Manchester operations.
PIA’s UK services were suspended after the May
2020 crash of an Airbus A320 in Karachi that killed 97 people, along with
concerns over pilot licensing standards, which led to restrictions by UK and
European regulators.
Officials
said the airline will expand cautiously, taking into account its financial
constraints. Despite this, strong demand from the Pakistani community in the UK
and competitive fares are expected to support the airline’s return.
Source:
Business Recorder