Pakistani airlines regain access to UK market after five years
The United Kingdom has lifted its ban on Pakistani airlines, initially imposed following a scandal over fake pilot licenses in 2020. The move paves the way for the resumption of flights between the two countries, although implementation will take time.
The United Kingdom’s Air Safety Committee has decided to lift operational restrictions on Pakistani airlines flying to its territory.
The decision was announced today by Jane Marriott, the UK High Commissioner to Pakistan, who nevertheless clarified that “It will take time for flights to resume,” but emphasized that this is “an important step and a testament to Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority's air safety improvements.”
The UK had banned Pakistani airlines from operating in its territory in July 2020, after a series of irregularities were uncovered in the country’s commercial pilot licensing process. These revelations emerged during the investigation into the crash of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Flight 8303, in which 97 people lost their lives.
At the time, official sources confirmed that, out of 860 licensed pilots in Pakistan, 262 did not hold authentic licenses, which had been obtained through fraudulent means. As a result, PIA suspended 150 of its 434 pilots.
Since then, the Pakistani government began a process of overhauling its civil aviation authority, which led to its first positive result in November 2024, when the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) lifted its own restrictions on the country.
In January of this year, Pakistan International Airlines finally returned to Europe, operating flights from Islamabad and Lahore to Paris Charles de Gaulle. However, there were high expectations surrounding the possibility of resuming operations to the United Kingdom, a market that, prior to the pandemic, saw around 25 weekly flights to Birmingham, London Heathrow, and Manchester.
The airline estimated that the ban on flying to Europe resulted in revenue losses of over USD 150 million.
Pakistan International Airlines, once a pioneer in Asian aviation, has faced decades of challenges, including accusations of mismanagement, overstaffing, an aging fleet, and strong regional competition.
The government has repeatedly attempted to privatize the carrier, with limited success, largely due to its longstanding debt of USD 2.9 billion.
In April, it was decided that this debt would be transferred to state accounts in an effort to make PIA more attractive to potential buyers. Alongside a series of reforms, this led to the airline achieving its first positive financial result in over two decades in 2024. This month, four groups were pre-approved by the Pakistani government to acquire a stake of between 51% and 100% of the airline, with a final decision expected before the end of the year.
Contando la aviación desde marzo del año 2000. Fundador y Managing Editor de Aviacionline. Base: ROS Origen: RES
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