The national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), restored its flight operation to the United Kingdom on Saturday after a long hiatus of five years and three months.
The first PIA flight will depart for Manchester. Initially, PIA will operate two weekly flights: one on Tuesday and one on Saturday.
All preparations and arrangements for the flight resumption at the Islamabad Airport have been completed. A large portrait of a Manchester building has also been installed at the airport.
A ceremony was held at the airport before the resumption of the flights, which was specially attended by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif. The flight ban was originally imposed on PIA in July 2020, following a statement by the then-aviation minister, Ghulam Sarwar, regarding the credentials of the airline’s pilots.
Earlier, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott welcomed PIA’s return to British skies, calling it a “historic moment” and a positive step toward strengthening bilateral ties. She said the resumption of direct air links will bring Pakistan and the UK closer, enhancing travel, trade, and tourism opportunities.
UK authorities also appreciated the efforts of the PIA administration, noting that the restored service will provide much-needed convenience to the Pakistani community residing in the UK. The CEO of PIA conducted a detailed inspection of the arrangements for the upcoming UK operations, including a technical review of a Boeing 777 aircraft at the Asfahani Hangar in Karachi.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Saturday, felicitated the entire nation, especially those Pakistanis residing in the United Kingdom, on the commencement of Pakistan International Airlines’ direct flights from Islamabad to Manchester.
The prime minister also lauded the efforts of Minister for Aviation Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Civil Aviation Authority, PIA and the officials of the relevant entities in this regard, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
“With the grace and blessings of Allah Almighty, Pakistan’s image is being restored across the world,” he said, adding the suspension had damaged PIA’s reputation, which has now been restored after years of dedicated efforts.
The prime minister further observed that Pakistani community living in the UK would greatly benefit from these direct flights.
The resumption of direct flights would further strengthen Pak-UK bilateral ties, he said, adding the journey of improvement in every national institution, through reforms, was progressing at rapid pace.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) a profitable and competitive organisation.
The defence czar made the remarks while speaking during an inauguration ceremony at the Islamabad International Airport to mark the resumption of PIA’s flight operations to the United Kingdom.
Addressing the ceremony, Asif said the suspension of PIA’s UK operations had caused significant financial losses to the government, but added that the airline’s standards had now been restored.
“We have successfully reinstated the quality and credibility of our national airline,” he added.
He commended the efforts of Pakistan’s diplomatic staff, saying their tireless work had played a crucial role in lifting the ban. He also acknowledged the cooperation of the British high commissioner.
The ceremony was attended by British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, defence secretary, and other senior officials.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, Mohammad Faisal, said that the Islamabad-Manchester flight could open the door for operations to several other British cities.
Faisal, in an interview with The Telegraph, said that the issues which led to the suspension had been resolved, adding that the airline had worked to restore confidence after the 2020 Karachi plane crash that killed 97 people and exposed the use of bogus licences among some pilots.