ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and AirBlue are closer to resuming direct flights to the United Kingdom, as the British Safety Committee plans a critical meeting on March 12 to decide on the matter.
Sources indicate that the committee will review the findings of an audit report compiled after a recent inspection by a British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Transport Department team in Pakistan. This audit assessed the safety and operational standards of both airlines.
Should the British Safety Committee approve the report, it would signal the end of the UK’s travel ban on Pakistani airlines, which has been in effect since July 2020.
Aviation authorities in Pakistan have been actively working to restore international flight operations, with European destinations already reopening. The positive developments suggest direct UK flights may soon resume.
Prior to the ban, PIA and AirBlue operated 35 weekly flights to major UK cities. In preparation, PIA recently sent a two-member team to assess operational needs for flights to London, Manchester, and Birmingham, and has issued a catering tender for its Manchester-Birmingham routes.
