After having suspended Pakistan International Airlines from operating in the European Union in 2020, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has now lifted that ban after a safety overhaul.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was banned from flying to the European Union and the United Kingdom back in May 2020. The reason was the crash of Flight 8303 from Lahore to Karachi, killing 97 people. The incident raised questions about the validity of many Pakistani pilots’ licenses, including some attached to Pakistan International Airlines.
The ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to oversee compliance with international aviation standards was questioned and PIA’s authorisation to fly over the EU and the UK was suspended, meaning it was obliged to heavily restrict its activities, using wet-leased aircraft for the remaining flights.
Before the start of the pandemic and the crash of Flight 8303, Pakistan flag carrier operated 17 routes to and from the EU and the UK. Barcelona, Birmingham and Paris Charles de Gaulle were some of the destinations in its portfolio. This resulted in approximately 23,300 two-way seats according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. The ban costed the airline some $144 million each year.
During the time of the ban, there were no nonstop flights between EU countries and Pakistan. British Airways is the only service provider between the UK and Pakistan, flying between London Gatwick and Islamabad three times per week.
On 29 November , the EASA confirmed it had regained confidence in Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority oversight capacities and Pakistan International Airlines would thus once again be allowed to operate within the European Union.
Authorization issued on November 29, 2024, by European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) permitting Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to apply for commercial air transport operations into, within or out of European Union (EU). pic.twitter.com/5lm5dfLz5x
— Pakistan Aviation News 🇵🇰 (@avpak3) December 1, 2024
“The Ministry of Aviation and Civil Aviation, after many years of struggle and hard work, have fulfilled all the standards and audit requirements that were required to obtain the authorisation from the European Union”, Pakistan Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif wrote on X.
So far, it is unclear whether or not the UK Civil Aviation Authority will follow the decision of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. “PIA plans to approach the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) for UK route resumption, as EASA clearance is a prerequisite for their decision,” PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Reuters.
According to Khan, the airline will resume its activities in Europe within three to four weeks, starting with Paris Charles de Gaulle. If the UK authorities also green light the resumption of flights, London, Manchester and Birmingham would be the most important destinations.
