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Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed direct flights to the United Kingdom after a five-year suspension, marking a major step toward restoring the airline’s global operations and credibility.
The state-owned carrier was barred from operating in the UK, the European Union, and the United States in June 2020, following a Karachi plane crash that killed nearly 100 people and was later blamed on human error.
British aviation authorities lifted their ban in July 2025, declaring that Pakistan’s aviation safety standards had become “satisfactory and in line with international norms.”
At a ceremony on Saturday at Islamabad International Airport, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the resumption as “a major milestone” for the national carrier.
“After a long and difficult delay of five years, today the resumption of flights from Islamabad to Manchester is a feat we have achieved through our hard work and determination,” Asif said.
He added that Pakistani aviation authorities had since overhauled pilot training, licensing, aircraft maintenance, and safety protocols to meet international standards.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) lifted its ban on the airline in November 2024, allowing flights to Paris to resume in January 2025.
Founded in 1955, PIA was once a symbol of Pakistan’s modernisation and regional aviation leadership, but it has struggled in recent decades with heavy debt, mismanagement, and regulatory issues.
