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.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)