The UK has officially lifted its five-year ban on Pakistani airlines, citing significant progress in Pakistan’s aviation safety standards.
The move allows carriers to reapply for flight permissions to the UK, restoring a crucial air link between the two nations.
The UK initially imposed the restrictions in 2020 after a major scandal revealed that approximately one-third of Pakistani pilots held fraudulent licences. The revelation came in the wake of a tragic Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crash in Karachi that claimed 97 lives.
This decision follows similar steps by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which earlier this year ended its own ban, permitting direct flights between Pakistan and European countries once again.
According to the British High Commission in Islamabad, the UK’s Air Safety Committee engaged extensively with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) before arriving at the decision. The commission noted that such decisions are made independently under international aviation safety protocols.
“I’m grateful to aviation experts in both the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work in meeting global safety standards,” said British High Commissioner Jane Marriott. “While it may take time for flights to resume, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends.”
PIA Set to Resume Flights to Britain
The lifting of the ban applies to all Pakistani airlines. However, Pakistan International Airlines has historically been the sole operator of direct long-haul flights to UK destinations such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham.
Most private Pakistani airlines continue to focus on domestic and Middle Eastern routes.
The suspension cost PIA an estimated ₨40 billion (£110 million) in lost annual revenue. The airline now plans to resume operations “as soon as possible”, starting with three weekly flights between Islamabad and Manchester, pending regulatory approval.
National Carrier Prepares for Privatisation
This development comes at a pivotal moment, as Pakistan prepares to privatise its struggling national airline. PIA employs roughly 7,000 staff, but has long faced criticism over mismanagement, inefficiencies, and financial losses.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the reopening of UK and European routes could boost PIA’s market value and enhance investor interest ahead of its planned privatisation. He also expressed optimism about restarting flights to New York in the future.
Founded in 1955 following the nationalisation of a private airline, Pakistan International Airlines once enjoyed rapid growth and a strong international presence until its decline in the 1990s.
