Pakistan’s state-run airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), is set to resume direct flights to European countries early next month. This announcement comes just days after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) lifted a ban on PIA’s flights to Europe, which was imposed due to safety compliance issues. The ban had been in place since 2020, following a crash in Karachi that resulted in the deaths of 97 people. The suspension had caused PIA an estimated loss of nearly $150 million in annual revenue.
Airline spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez informed The Associated Press that the first direct flight from Islamabad to Paris will resume in early January after more than four years. He noted that EASA has expressed “complete satisfaction” with PIA’s safety standards and that plans are being made to reinstate flights to other European cities.
The ban was initially enforced because of concerns regarding the validity of Pakistani pilot licenses. EASA doubted Pakistan’s ability to certify and oversee its airline operators and aircraft in line with international standards. During investigations, Pakistan’s then-aviation minister revealed that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had cheated on their exams, leading PIA to ground 150 pilots. A subsequent government probe concluded that the crash was due to pilot error. However, since the news of the ban’s lifting, travel agents have reported a surge in customer interest in the new flights.
