Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will resume flights to Britain next month, ending a five-year suspension as Islamabad prepares to privatise the national carrier under its IMF bailout.
The airline said on Wednesday it had received clearance from Britain to operate passenger and cargo flights. Services will begin from Manchester before being expanded to Birmingham and London.
Britain and the European Union banned PIA in 2020 after Pakistan’s then aviation minister admitted that some pilots held fraudulent licences. The EU lifted its ban last November after Pakistan met new aviation safety standards.
The resumption comes as Islamabad presses ahead with plans to privatise PIA, a requirement of its $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout. The carrier last reported a pre-tax profit this month — its first in 20 years.
Five Pakistani business groups have shown interest in acquiring the airline, including Airblue, Lucky Cement, investment firm Arif Habib, and military-linked Fauji Fertilizer. Final bids are expected later in 2025.
Direct flights to Britain are among PIA’s most profitable routes, and the carrier hopes reopening the market will boost its value ahead of privatisation.
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