Pakistan International Airlines resumes UK flights after five-year ban

Pakistan International Airlines has resumed flights to the UK for the first time in five years after the lifting of a ban imposed over a fake pilots’ licence scandal.

The state-run airline was banned from the UK and the EU in June 2020 after a crash in Karachi killed nearly 100 people, and subsequent revelations of pilots with fake licences.

The European ban was lifted last November after extensive safety audits, clearing the way for PIA to restore suspended routes in January this year.

The first Boeing 777 flight from Islamabad to Manchester on Saturday marked PIA’s return after months of inspections and reforms that restored Britain’s confidence in Pakistan’s aviation system.

“The flight to Manchester is a remarkable beginning, but we are firmly determined to start flights to London and Birmingham next,” Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif told a ceremony at Islamabad International Airport.

He said in a televised address that the flights are essential for the more than 1.4 million Pakistanis in Britain and Europe, and noted that the remittances they send are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.

“Providing them with direct flights is both a moral and national duty,” he said. “These services will save them time, offer reasonable fares, and provide direct air links to their homeland.”

Pakistan’s high commissioner to the UK, Mohammad Faisal, hailed the relaunch as a major step forward for economic and cultural ties between the two nations.

“This milestone will bring major economic benefits, generating substantial revenue, boosting trade and tourism, and expanding the movement of people and goods,” he said at a recent event in London.