Pakistan International Airlines plans return of European flights post-ban

The resumption of flights is expected to include UK destinations such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham once approval is granted. PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan mentioned that the company is financially prepared to expand routes and will consider leasing new aircraft following privatisation talks with the government.

The Pakistani government aims to sell a 60% stake in PIA and had requested EASA lift the ban due to significant revenue losses estimated at 40 billion rupees ($144 million) annually. Despite holding agreements with 87 countries, PIA struggles against Middle Eastern carriers due to limited direct flights.

In related developments, Pakistan's air safety rating was downgraded by the US Federal Aviation Administration in 2020, preventing new services or codeshares with US airlines. AirlineRatings recently upgraded PIA's safety score from 1/7 to 2/7 after EASA lifted its restrictions.