Key points
- UK lifted PIA ban earlier this year
- Move expected to boost trade, travel
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Friday that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would commence three to four weekly flights to Manchester, United Kingdom, stating that reviving the national flag carrier has been one of the government’s key priorities.
As reported by Arab News, the United Kingdom earlier this year removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, thereby allowing Pakistani carriers to apply for permits to operate within the UK once again.
Pakistani airlines had been banned from flying to the UK and Europe following a 2020 crash of a PIA Airbus A320 in Karachi, which claimed nearly 100 lives and led to controversial allegations regarding irregularities in pilot licensing.
European aviation regulators lifted their suspension in November last year following a detailed review, enabling PIA to restart flights to Paris this January.
Positive public feedback
“As you know, just a few months ago, by the grace of God, the UK … lifted its ban [on PIA flights],” Dar stated at a press conference.
“So, the final expected flights [to the UK] are due in the month of September,” he added. “They will start from Pakistan to Manchester, with three to four weekly flights. PIA is preparing for this.”
Dar noted that flights could have resumed sooner had the UK still been subject to European Union aviation regulations.
He further said the government had received positive public feedback, highlighting that currently only British Airways offers direct services, which are limited to two flights a week from Islamabad.
Boosting bilateral trade
With over 1.6 million people of Pakistani descent living in the UK and thousands of British nationals residing in Pakistan, the new Manchester route is expected to ease travel and boost bilateral trade.
Britain is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner, with two-way trade amounting to £4.7 billion.
The addition of new flights is also expected to strengthen PIA’s financial position, potentially increasing its valuation as the government advances plans to privatise the loss-making airline.
