LONDON – The direct flights from Pakistan to the United Kingdom are all set to be resumed after a gap of over 4 years, confirmed a top Pakistani official.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr Mohammad Faisal confirmed that initially flights would resume between London and Manchester to Pakistan, with efforts underway to restore operations from Birmingham as well.
Speaking at an Iftar dinner in London, the official elaborated that a special inauguration ceremony would be held to mark the occasion.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had suspended PIA’s authorisation to operate in the EU in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to ensure compliance with international aviation standards.
EASA and UK authorities suspended permission for PIA to operate in the region after Pakistan began investigating the validity of pilots’ licenses following a deadly plane crash that killed 97 people.
The ban on PIA was lifted earlier this year, allowing PIA to resume operations in stages starting from Paris. The airline’s first flight to Paris took off on January 10, 2024, ending a four-and-a-half-year suspension and currently, the airline operates two weekly flights from Islamabad to Paris every Friday and Sunday.