Pakistan Reopens UK Flight Routes After 5 Years

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed direct flights to the United Kingdom after a five-year suspension imposed over safety concerns, according to a government announcement on Saturday.

The state-owned carrier is the first Pakistani airline to restart operations to the UK since London lifted its flight ban in July, declaring Pakistan’s aviation safety standards as satisfactory and compliant with international regulations.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif hailed the inaugural Islamabad–Manchester flight as a milestone in restoring PIA’s global credibility, noting that the achievement followed years of reform and determination.

PIA’s access to British, European, and American airspace was suspended in May 2020, a month after a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus crashed in Karachi, killing 97 people. The disaster, blamed on human error by pilots and air traffic controllers, was followed by revelations that nearly one-third of PIA pilot licenses were either fake or dubious.

Since then, Islamabad has overhauled pilot training, licensing procedures, aircraft maintenance, and safety protocols.

Initially, PIA will operate two weekly flights between Islamabad and Manchester, with plans to expand routes to London and Birmingham in the near future.

In November 2024, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency lifted its ban on PIA, enabling the airline to resume flights to Paris earlier this year.

Founded in 1955 after the nationalisation of a private carrier, PIA employs around 7,000 people but has long struggled with debt, mismanagement, and regulatory issues. The Pakistani government has pledged to privatize the airline, although its first attempt failed last November when a potential buyer reportedly offered a significantly lower price than expected.