Pakistan's flag carrier resumes Britain flights after 5-year ban

Resumption of flights to UK was a major milestone in restoring PIA's credibility: Minister; airline will initially operate two weekly flights from Islamabad to Manchester; Jane Marriott welcomes PIA's return to British skies

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Pakistan's state-owned airline resumed direct flights to Britain on Saturday, after UK authorities had ended a five-year suspension imposed over aviation safety concerns.

The debt-ridden flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was barred from flying to Britain, the European Union and the United States in June 2020, a month after one of its Airbus A320 aircraft plunged into a Karachi neighbourhood, killing nearly IOO people. The deadly crash was blamed on human error.

Britain lifted restrictions on Pakistani carriers in July after concluding that aviation safety standards were “satisfactory and in line with international norms.”

The first PIA flight PK-701 took off for Manchester carrying 250 passengers, marking the resumption of direct flights between Pakistan and the UK. In a gesture of celebration, PIA also presented gifts to passengers on the inaugural flight, including a 660cc car awarded to one lucky traveller.

According to a PIA spokesperson, the airline will initially operate two weekly flights from Islamabad to Manchester - on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The number of flights will be gradually increased, with plans to launch direct services to London and Birmingham in the near future.