Pakistan International Airlines Hopes to Return to UK Skies After Four-Year Ban Lifted
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is gearing up for a comeback in Europe after a four-year hiatus. This follows a decision by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to lift its ban on the airline. The ban was implemented in 2020 after the tragic crash of PIA flight 8303, which claimed the lives of 97 people.
Concerns arose about Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) meeting international safety standards and the validity of pilot licenses. EASA cited "restored confidence" in the PCAA after a thorough assessment conducted on November 29th.
"Today is a very important day for us in which we have made a very important commitment. We have at this time achieved success on PIA flights from Europe," said PIA CEO Amir Hayat in a video message posted on X/Twitter. “I am grateful to the Ministry of Aviation and all those agencies who supported our work and supported us, especially the PIA team whose hard work and commitment has been with us for 4.5 years.”
While EASA clearance is a major hurdle cleared, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has yet to grant PIA permission to land in London, Manchester, and Birmingham. However, the CAA expressed its intention to remove Pakistani airlines from the UK Air Safety List "in the near future."
"While we therefore support the restoration of such connections as soon as practicable, the circumstances that led to the suspension of those services require a rigorous safety case to be demonstrated first," the CAA stated.
Prior to the 2020 crash, PIA operated seven direct routes between Pakistan and the UK, connecting cities like London, Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot.
PIA plans to approach the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) for route resumption, with the goal of resuming flights to Europe, starting with Paris, within the next three to four weeks.
“With Europe now and upcoming UK routes, we anticipate increased revenue potential and hence a rise in PIA’s value during the privatisation process," PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Reuters.
The ban cost the airline an estimated £372 million annually in lost revenue. The Pakistani government is aiming to sell a 60% stake in PIA as part of a privatization effort.
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