KARACHI– According to UK Civil Aviation Authority officials, a crucial meeting of the UK Air Safety Committee is scheduled for Today, March 20, to review the prolonged ban on Pakistani Airlines, including the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PK) or PIA.
The committee will evaluate all Pakistani carriers and consider lifting restrictions in place since July 2020. The ban was implemented by UK and European aviation authorities following revelations about fake pilot licenses. Despite this setback, Pakistani authorities express optimism about a positive outcome from tomorrow’s review.
PIA A320 at DAC; Photo: By Shadman Samee from Dhaka, Bangladesh; Wikimedia CommonsBackground of the Ban
The controversy erupted in 2020 during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s government when then-aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan disclosed that pilots were operating aircraft with fraudulent licenses.
This announcement came in the aftermath of a tragic incident where a PIA Airbus A-320 crashed in a Karachi (KHI) residential area, resulting in nearly 100 fatalities.
The revelation prompted immediate regulatory action. European Union, United Kingdom, and United States immediately banned Pakistani airlines from operating in their airspace. This restriction has cost the already struggling PIA approximately Rs40 billion ($144 million) in annual revenue.
Photo: PIA 77-200LR | Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-20… | FlickrNew Developments on Pakistani Airlines in the UK
In January 2025, after a prolonged suspension, PIA marked a significant milestone by operating its first direct flight from Islamabad (ISB) to Paris (CDG), effectively resuming services to Europe.
Looking ahead to potential UK operations, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan indicated that once cleared by the Department for Transport, London (LYC), Manchester (MAN), and Birmingham (BHX) would become priority destinations for the airline.
PIA currently holds 23% of Pakistan’s domestic aviation market. However, its fleet of 34 aircraft struggles to compete with Middle Eastern carriers that dominate 60% of the market. This disparity exists despite PIA having agreements with 87 countries and possessing key landing slots at international airports.
Photo: By Magic Aviation – Boeing 777-240/ER Pakistan International Airlines PIA AP-BHXUploaded by Dura-Ace, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24910086UK-Pakistan Route Connectivity
The air travel corridor between the United Kingdom and Pakistan represents a vital connection for both countries, supporting significant cultural, economic, and familial ties. With approximately 1.2 million British Pakistanis forming one of the largest diaspora communities in the UK, demand for direct flight routes remains consistently high.
Before the 2020 ban, multiple weekly flights operated between major cities including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. These routes served not only the Pakistani diaspora but also business travellers, tourists, and students.
The suspension of direct flights has forced travellers to rely on connecting services through Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. This has increased journey times by several hours and raised costs for passengers, while also benefiting Gulf carriers at the expense of Pakistani airlines.
If the ban is lifted, industry analysts expect rapid restoration of direct services, potentially creating new economic opportunities for both countries. Tourism development initiatives in Pakistan, particularly in the northern regions, could benefit significantly from improved air connectivity with the UK.
The restoration of direct flights would also strengthen trade relations, with air cargo capacity enabling faster transportation of goods between the two markets at a time when both nations are seeking to expand their post-Brexit and post-pandemic commercial partnerships.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News
Pakistan Airlines Leases London Heathrow Slots to Saudia for Summer 2025
The post Pakistani International Airlines Ban Under Review by UK appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
