UK lifts flight ban on Pakistani airlines as PIA eyes revival

Britain has lifted its five-year ban on Pakistani airlines, paving the way for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to resume lucrative UK flights amid a major privatization drive.

The ban was introduced in 2020, shortly after Pakistan began investigating the authenticity of pilot licenses in the wake of a PIA plane crash that claimed 97 lives.

The British High Commission announced that the decision to lift the ban was based on safety enhancements made by Pakistani authorities, following a similar move by the European Union in recent months.

With the ban now lifted, PIA is set to regain access to profitable routes such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham, potentially restoring its valuable Heathrow landing slots.

The airline had estimated annual losses of $144 million due to the ban.

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told the return to UK routes would enhance PIA’s market value and revealed that plans to resume flights to New York are also underway.

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