This is good news if you were hoping to hop on a PIA flight to Blighty anytime soon. The UK’s Department for Transport has confirmed that Pakistan International Airlines is no longer grounded in British skies.
In plain English? PIA has finally been removed from the UK Air Safety List – aka the aviation naughty step – alongside other airlines previously deemed too dodgy to fly to, from, or within the United Kingdom.
A spokesperson told Geo News that the UK Civil Aviation Authority has been “engaging” with its Pakistani counterpart. And now, after five years of back-and-forth, inspections, and polite headshakes, PIA’s grounded status has officially been lifted. That said, flights aren’t taking off just yet – PIA still needs to apply for operating permits before Heathrow, Manchester, or Birmingham see the airline’s tail fin again.
In This Post
A Whole Lotta Audit, Finally Some Altitude
Pakistan International Airlines plan to relaunch flights to the UK with
🇵🇰Islamabad – 🇬🇧Manchester – begins 14 August 2025 – 3x weekly flights
Flights expected to go on sale imminently
Later in the year, we will see other routes launching to London, Manchester, and Birmingham pic.twitter.com/8zKOzs6Bvz
— Sean M 🌈✈ (@SeanM1997) July 16, 2025
The ban had been in place since 2020, when the infamous fake pilot licence scandal broke. Yes, you read that right – counterfeit licences. Like something out of a Catch Me If You Can reboot, except no one’s laughing.
The whole thing came to light after a tragic PIA crash in Karachi, which killed nearly 100 people. The then-aviation minister casually announced that almost one-third of all Pakistani pilots had no valid licences. Understandably, that didn’t sit well with UK and EU regulators, who promptly clipped PIA’s wings.
The UK’s move follows a similar decision by the EU, which lifted its own ban in November 2024, allowing PIA to resume flights to Paris earlier this year. That gave PIA some breathing room, but it wasn’t enough to get back into British airspace—until now.
Fast-forward to today, and while PIA managed to return to Paris, London, Manchester, and Birmingham might be next on the runway – permit applications permitting.
Paperwork Cleared – Now It’s Permits and Patience
There were delays earlier this year, including an incident involving a PIA aircraft whose tyre detached mid-flight. That didn’t help the airline’s case. But following a full review, safety regulators are now satisfied.
On 16 July 2025, the UK formally lifted the ban on Pakistani airlines. Now it’s down to each carrier to submit applications, secure slots, and restart services.
Some have already moved fast — Airblue confirmed that it’s been granted UK permissions and plans to resume flights soon. Meanwhile, PIA has announced it will relaunch its Islamabad–Manchester route on 14 August 2025, with three weekly flights. Tickets are expected to go on sale imminently.
More routes are set to follow later in the year, including services to London Heathrow, Birmingham, and a return to multiple UK cities as the airline rebuilds its long-haul network.
Even with the green light, insiders say it could take several weeks – or even months – for a complete schedule to materialise, depending on how quickly permits are processed and aircraft are brought up to spec.
Reform or Bust
Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to privatise PIA – part of a broader government reform – played a big role in winning back regulatory confidence. The airline has been under mounting pressure to clean house, modernise operations, and prove it can fly straight – literally and figuratively.
And while the green light is good news, PIA still faces an uphill climb. With a limited long-haul fleet and ageing aircraft like its Boeing 777s in need of upgrades, it’s not exactly poised to flood the UK with daily flights anytime soon.
Numbers Don’t Lie… But Planes Might
Since the ban, PIA has been losing money – Rs40 billion (that’s about $144 million) in lost annual revenue. Even with 87 international agreements and juicy landing slots, it’s struggled to compete with the Gulf giants hoovering up Pakistan’s global traffic.
With only 34 aircraft and a 23% domestic market share, it’s a David vs multiple Emirates-sized Goliaths scenario. But at least now, David’s allowed back on the runway.
Bottom Line?
The UK ban is over, and flights are officially returning. PIA’s first route – Islamabad to Manchester – takes off on 14 August 2025, with more UK services on the way. Until then, you might want to keep an eye on Skyscanner. Because for the first time in five years, PIA’s back in the game.
