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Pakistan International Airlines plans return of European flights post-ban

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Pakistan International Airlines plans return of European flights post-ban
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Geoffrey Thomas Editor-In-Chief - US Bureau Chief | Airline Ratings

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced plans to resume flights to Europe soon, following the lifting of a ban by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The airline had been barred from operating in the EU since June 2020. This suspension was due to concerns about pilot license validity and oversight by Pakistani aviation authorities after a plane crash that resulted in 97 fatalities.

"EASA has now re-established sufficient confidence in the PCAA oversight capabilities," an EASA spokesperson stated in an email to Reuters. The decision was attributed to "significant efforts" made by Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).

PIA had previously grounded 262 pilots, including 141 from its own staff, over what were described as "dubious" licenses. Despite these measures, no major issues were uncovered during investigations.

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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.

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