Pakistan International Airlines will restart direct flights to London on March 29, restoring its flagship UK route after nearly six years, the airline announced on Tuesday. Services are expected to operate from Terminal 4 at London Heathrow Airport.
The return comes after the UK Department for Transport granted PIA formal approval in September, allowing it to operate as a Third Country Operator for both passenger and cargo flights. The airline also received a five-year ACC3 certification covering flight security and cargo operations.
PIA has already resumed flights to Manchester, operating three weekly services since October 25 following a five-year suspension. The Manchester route initially started with two weekly flights before increasing to three, operating on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Direct operations to the UK were suspended in July 2020 after authorities discovered dozens of Pakistani pilots were flying with fake licences. The scandal followed the Karachi crash of a PIA Airbus A-320 that killed nearly 100 people. The resulting bans by UK, EU and US aviation regulators cost the loss-making airline roughly Rs40 billion ($144 million) annually in lost revenue.
Limited European operations resumed in January 2025 with a direct Islamabad-Paris flight, marking PIA’s first return to the continent since the suspension.
The expansion of UK services coincides with the ongoing privatisation of the airline. On December 24, a consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation emerged as the top bidder for a 75 percent stake in PIA, offering Rs135 billion, surpassing the government’s Rs100 billion reserve price. The airline is expected to come under new ownership by April 2026.
The successful bid marks a turnaround from last year’s failed sale attempt and represents a key step in the government’s long-delayed efforts to privatise the national carrier.
