On 16 July, the British diplomatic mission in Islamabad, Pakistan, reported that the UK has lifted a year-long ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The decision follows improvements in the country’s aviation standards, according to the UK.
The U.K.’s Air Safety Committee implemented the ban in June 2020. This followed a revelation by Pakistan’s then-aviation minister that nearly one-third of the country’s pilots had allegedly cheated on their licensing exams. This information disclosure came shortly after a PIA crash in Karachi, Pakistan, on 24 May 2020, which claimed the lives of 97 people.
The recent announcement comes as Pakistan’s air safety reforms have gained wider international recognition. Earlier in 2025, for instance, the European Aviation Safety Agency also lifted its five-year ban, now permitting Pakistan’s national airline to operate direct flights to Europe.
Guess who's back, #UK! 👋 Hiya!
— PIA (@Official_PIA) July 17, 2025
Get ready to fly with us again this August!#PIAReturns #ManchesterBound #FlyPIA #UKTravel #DirectFlights #Manchester #PakistanToUK #TravelNews #August2025 #WelcomeBackPIA pic.twitter.com/JUphwK5Mzs
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott reported that following “extensive engagement” with the UK’s Air Safety Committee and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, limitations on Pakistani airlines have now been removed. However, she added that individual airlines would still need to apply for operating permits directly from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. “I’m grateful to aviation experts in both the U.K. and Pakistan for their collaborative work to meet international safety standards,” she noted.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, welcomed the decision. During a press conference, he stated that the ban was imposed due to what he described as “baseless” remarks made by a former aviation minister, Ghulam Sarwar Khan. Asif said that Khan’s claims not only damaged the country’s reputation but also caused substantial losses for PIA. The national carrier had previously estimated the ban would result in an annual revenue loss of approximately 40 billion rupees (€127.5 million).
After a sustained, independent, and technically driven process, the UK’s Air Safety Committee has lifted its restrictions on Pakistani carriers. It will take time for flights to resume, but this is an important step, and a testament to @official_pcaa’s air safety improvements.
— Jane Marriott (@JaneMarriottUK) July 16, 2025
According to a PIA spokesperson, the airline is finalising preparations to resume flights to the UK as soon as possible and has already submitted its proposed flight schedule. Initial plans include three weekly flights on the Islamabad–Manchester route, pending regulatory approval.
Additionally, in order to further improve PIA’s financial state and operational efficiency, Pakistan approved found groups to submit bids for a 51-100% stake in the airline. The authorities are optimistic that recent reforms, leading to PIA’s first operational profit in 21 years, will attract new buyers as part of a larger privatisation scheme. Additionally, the resumption of the routes to Europe is expected to improve the carrier’s value before the privatisation. What’s more, Asif also confirmed upcoming plans to restart flights to New York.
