Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced it will resume flights to Europe on January 10, starting with a route to Paris. The EU aviation regulator reinstated the national carrier’s operational rights.
The EU suspended PIA’s authorization in June 2020 due to concerns about Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority’s compliance with international aviation standards.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan confirmed, “We have received approval for the first flight’s schedule,” adding that bookings for the January 10 Boeing 777 flight to Paris will open on December 9.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Britain previously revoked PIA’s permission to operate following a scandal involving the authenticity of Pakistani pilots’ licenses after a fatal crash that killed 97 people.
Khan also mentioned that PIA intends to seek Britain’s Department for Transport permission to restart UK routes. He noted that London, Manchester, and Birmingham are high-priority destinations once approvals are granted.
The suspension had cost the airline approximately 40 billion rupees ($144 million) in annual revenue. Despite holding 23% of Pakistan’s domestic aviation market and agreements with 87 countries, PIA’s 34-plane fleet struggles against Middle Eastern carriers, which control 60% of the market, mainly due to fewer direct flights.
Read: EASA Lifts Ban on PIA Flights to Europe
Efforts to privatize PIA have not been successful. The airline received only one offer, significantly below the asking price.
