Islamabad, December 6, 2024: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced the resumption of its European flights starting January 10, 2025, with a Boeing 777 flight to Paris. This follows the lifting of a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ban imposed in June 2020 due to concerns over Pakistan’s compliance with international aviation standards.
The suspension came after a pilot licensing scandal following a 2020 plane crash. PIA, which incurred losses of 40 billion rupees annually due to the ban, is now seeking UK clearance to resume flights to London, Manchester, and Birmingham.
Despite agreements with 87 countries and key landing slots, PIA’s 34-plane fleet struggles to compete with Middle Eastern carriers dominating 60% of Pakistan’s aviation market. Previous privatization attempts failed due to low bids.
Bookings for European flights will open on December 9, 2024.
