ISLAMABAD, (TDI): Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Friday that it will resume flights to Europe starting in January, with Paris as its first destination, after the European Union aviation regulator lifted the ban on the carrier.
PIA’s authorization to operate in the EU was suspended in June 2020 due to concerns about the compliance of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority with international aviation standards.
“We have received approval for the first flight schedule we submitted,” said PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan. He added that the airline will open bookings on December 9 for a Boeing 777 flight to Paris, scheduled for January 10.
The ban, imposed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the UK, followed a scandal regarding the validity of pilots’ licenses, which arose after a plane crash that killed 97 people.
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PIA plans to approach the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) soon to seek permission to resume flights to the UK. Once granted, destinations like London, Manchester, and Birmingham are expected to be popular routes.
The suspension of PIA’s operations in the region led to a loss of approximately 40 billion rupees ($144 million) annually in revenue for the airline.
Also Read: PM Shehbaz Welcomes Lifting of Ban on PIA Flights to Europe
While PIA holds a 23% share of Pakistan’s domestic aviation market, its fleet of 34 planes struggles to compete with Middle Eastern carriers, which control 60% of the market. This is largely due to a lack of direct flights, despite the airline having agreements with 87 countries and access to key landing slots.
Attempts to privatize PIA have been unsuccessful, as the airline only received a single offer that was far below the expected price.
