PIA Confirms Resumption of Direct Flights to UK

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Wednesday that it will resume direct flights to the United Kingdom in October, five years after restrictions were imposed on Pakistani carriers. The decision follows safety and security approvals from international regulators. Britain lifted its ban on Pakistani airlines in July, nearly half a decade after suspending services in the wake of the 2020 PIA crash in Karachi that killed 97 people. The tragedy exposed irregularities in pilot licensing, prompting bans in both the UK and the European Union. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency lifted its suspension in late 2024, allowing PIA to restart limited flights to Paris earlier this year. Those operations were paused as the airline shifted focus to relaunching the UK route. PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan confirmed that the airline has secured Third Country Operator approval, clearing it to operate flights to Manchester, with Birmingham and London to follow. Britain’s Department for Transport separately designated PIA with ACC3 certification, authorizing cargo flights from Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi until 2030. The return of PIA flights is expected to ease travel for the UK’s 1.6 million Pakistani-origin residents and strengthen trade between the two countries, valued at nearly £4.7 billion.