Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is set to expand its United Kingdom operations. The national carrier announced it will operate flights from Lahore to London starting in March. This move follows the recent announcement of flight resumptions from Islamabad.
The first flight, PK-757, departs from Lahore to London on March 30. These flights will land at Terminal 4 of Heathrow Airport. Consequently, this new addition brings the total number of weekly PIA flights to the UK to seven.
Previously, the airline operated 10 weekly flights to London before the 2020 ban. In December, PIA also announced the resumption of Islamabad to London flights starting March 29. This route will provide four weekly services, also utilising Heathrow’s Terminal 4. Additionally, direct flights to Manchester resumed in October after a five-year hiatus.
Safety Clearance & PIA Privatisation Success
Direct flights between Pakistan and airports north of London stalled in 2020. However, the situation changed recently. The UK removed PIA from its Air Safety List on July 16. This decision followed successful technical audits and demonstrable improvements in the airline’s safety standards.
Furthermore, a major business milestone was reached this week. The Pakistan government concluded the sale of a 75% stake in the national carrier on Tuesday. The deal, valued at Rs. 135 billion, finally ends years of stalled efforts to privatise the loss-making airline.
