ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced that it will resume its flight operations to the United Kingdom on October 25, beginning with direct flights from Manchester to Islamabad.
The announcement indicates an important achievement for the national carrier, which has been absent from UK airspace since 2020.
The airline confirmed the development through a post on its official X account, describing it as a “historic return” to British skies. “The wait is finally over! Pakistan International Airlines proudly reconnects Manchester and Islamabad, bringing loved ones closer once again,” the message read.
Furthermore, the move follows the statement from the Pakistan High Commission in London, which revealed that PIA had been granted a Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, along with Third Country Operator approval.
The first phase will see services between Manchester and Islamabad, with routes to Birmingham and London expected to follow in subsequent phases.
Moreover, the PIA’s return to the UK skies comes after a series of developments in aviation safety and compliance. In July, the United Kingdom removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, opening the way for Pakistani airlines to apply for flight operations in the country.
The decision came after the UK Department for Transport carried out a security inspection at Islamabad International Airport, declaring the arrangements there “satisfactory and in line with international standards.”
Meanwhile, the airline had been barred from operating in the European Union, the UK, and the United States since June 2020. The ban was imposed a month after a tragic crash in Karachi’s Model Colony involving a PIA Airbus A320, which claimed nearly 100 lives.
So far, shortly after, Pakistan grounded 262 pilots whose licences were described as “dubious” by then-aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, leading to heightened international scrutiny of the country’s aviation safety standards.
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The European Union lifted its restrictions on PIA flights in November 2024, a decision that paved the way for the restoration of operations in other international markets.
