UK Lifts Five-Year Ban on Pakistani Airlines, Paving Way for Resumption of Flights
After a five-year hiatus, the United Kingdom has officially lifted its ban on Pakistani airlines, a move that will allow carriers, most notably Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), to resume flights to the UK. This significant development, announced today, July 17, 2025, follows substantial improvements in Pakistan's aviation safety standards.
The ban, imposed in June 2020, stemmed from a tragic PIA plane crash in Karachi that killed 97 people, and subsequent revelations that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had obtained their licenses fraudulently. The UK's Air Safety Committee, after extensive engagement with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and an independent aviation safety review, has determined that the necessary safety improvements have been implemented since its original decision in 2021.
This decision by the UK mirrors a similar move by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which lifted its own five-year ban on Pakistani carriers in November 2024, allowing PIA to resume flights to Europe earlier this year.
The lifting of the ban is expected to provide a significant boost to Pakistan International Airlines, which has estimated an annual revenue loss of around 40 billion rupees (approximately $144 million) due to the restrictions. PIA has historically operated long-haul flights to the UK, a key market given the large Pakistani diaspora residing there. The airline is now finalizing plans to resume flights "in the shortest possible time," with initial routes expected to include Islamabad to Manchester.
This development also comes as Pakistan intensifies its efforts to privatize PIA, with officials hoping that the restoration of international routes will increase the airline's market value. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif welcomed the decision, emphasizing its importance for both the airline and the country's international reputation.
Shocking U-Turn: After 5 long years, UK finally lifts ban on Pakistani Airlines
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