Pakistan's national flag carrier resumes UK flights after 5-year ban over fake pilot licence scandal

Islamabad: State-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Saturday resumed its flight operations to the UK after a five-year suspension following a ban imposed over a fake pilot licence scandal.

The "first flight from Islamabad to Manchester since July 2020 departed with 284 passengers" on board in the presence of Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the PIA said in a statement.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority had banned PIA flights in 2020 after a tragic air crash in Karachi that left around 100 passengers dead and subsequent revelations by then aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan that a large number of Pakistani pilots held fake licences.

While EASA lifted the ban in November last year, the UK removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List in July this year, allowing Pakistani airlines to apply to operate flights in Britain.

A simple ceremony was held at Islamabad International Airport before the flight’s departure, attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, diplomatic missions, and the aviation sector.

Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Asif said the resumption of direct flights would further strengthen ties between Pakistan and the UK. He said the service would provide better and more comfortable travel options to the over 1.6 million Pakistanis residing in Britain.

The Defence Minister directed PIA officials to improve the airline’s flight schedule and in-flight facilities and to take steps to expand the number of routes and frequencies. British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott was also present at the ceremony to see off the passengers.

PIA said it would initially operate two weekly flights between Islamabad and Manchester, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with plans to expand operations to London and Birmingham gradually.

The lifting of the five-year ban in July came as Islamabad accelerated efforts to privatise the loss-making airline.

PIA had estimated an annual revenue loss of around PKR 40 billion (approx USD 144 million) during the five-year ban, as UK routes such as Manchester and Birmingham were among its most profitable and included coveted landing slots at London's Heathrow Airport.