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The United Kingdom has ended its five-year ban on Pakistani airlines using its airspace. This decision allows Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to resume flights to the UK, following a period on the no-fly list due to a fake pilot license scandal. The move comes after safety improvements by Pakistani aviation authorities and follows a similar action by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency at the end of 2024.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts between UK and Pakistani aviation experts in meeting international safety standards. She noted that while flights will take time to resume, she looks forward to using a Pakistani carrier for personal travel once logistics are arranged.
The initial ban was imposed in June 2020 after a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320 crash, which killed nearly 100 people. Investigations revealed issues with fake pilot licenses at PIA, leading to grounding several pilots and global bans on Pakistani carriers due to safety concerns.
