PIA resumes UK flights after five-year ban

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Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to turn Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) into a profitable entity as the national carrier resumed its weekly flights to the UK after a gap of five years.

Speaking at a ceremony at the Islamabad International Airport to mark the resumption of operations, the defense czar said the suspension of PIA’s UK operations had caused significant financial loss to the government, but added that the airline’s standards had now been restored.

The UK lifted the five-year ban in July this year, allowing Pakistani airlines to apply to resume flights to the UK.

The resumption of flights became possible after PIA’s third country operator (TCO) was approved by the British authorities last month.

After the ceremony, PIA’s Boeing 777 flight PK-701 departed from Islamabad Airport to Manchester. The flight will take place around 5 pm after a five-hour non-stop flight.

A PIA spokesperson said that a special ceremony will also be held at Manchester Airport to welcome the inaugural flight.

Speaking at the event today, Asif said: “We have successfully restored the quality and reputation of our national airline.”

The Federal Defense appreciated the efforts of Pakistan’s diplomatic staff and said that their tireless work had played an important role in lifting the embargo. He also acknowledged the cooperation of the British High Commissioner.

The event was attended by British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, Defense Secretary, and other senior officials.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, Mohammad Faisal, said the Islamabad-Manchester flight could open the door for operations in several other British cities.

Faisal told The Telegraph in an interview that the issues that led to the suspension had been resolved, adding that the airline had worked to restore confidence after the 2020 Karachi plane crash that killed 97 people and exposed the use of bogus licenses by some pilots.

It was revealed that before the catastrophic collision, the pilots of the flight had been distracted and distracted as they talked about the coronavirus pandemic while preparing for the initial failed attempt.

The government launched criminal investigations into 50 pilots and at least five civil aviation officials who allegedly helped them falsify credentials to secure licenses.

Almost three months after the investigation, authorities reportedly grounded dozens of pilots on dubious qualifications. At the time, the civil aviation regulator said it would conduct a detailed investigation into the scandal.

The PIA had earlier estimated an annual revenue loss of around 40 billion rupees ($144 million) due to the ban.

The airline has long considered UK routes, including London, Manchester and Birmingham, to be the most profitable, and is looking for landing slots at London’s Heathrow airport that could become active again.

Faisal told The Telegraph that mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that pilot qualifications are closely scrutinized to the satisfaction of UK and European safety regulators.

“We’ve gone through a rigorous process of setting up a new system, which includes some external inspectors and people who oversee pilot licensing,” the official told the British newspaper.

“Pakistani pilots are known all over the world, and they are flying planes in all the leading airlines. They are much sought after. So we don’t have a pilot problem like in Pakistan.”

According to the Telegraph, the national airline has upgraded its security and maintenance systems, with its flight crew re-screened and certified in the UK.