PIA Resumes Manchester Flights After Five-Year Suspension

Pakistan International Airlines resumed scheduled flights to the United Kingdom on Saturday, with a Boeing 777 departing Islamabad for Manchester, ending a five-year suspension imposed after a deadly 2020 crash and revelations of fraudulent pilot licences. The return follows safety audits and regulatory clearances from European authorities that restored confidence in Pakistan’s aviation oversight and cleared the way for flights to Britain.

At a ceremony at Islamabad International Airport, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the Manchester service as the first step in restoring the national carrier’s international routes, and said the government planned to extend services to Birmingham and London. “The flight to Manchester is a remarkable beginning,” he said, adding that the government was committed to making PIA a profitable institution and directing the airline’s management to ensure safety, punctuality and customer satisfaction. Asif also thanked Pakistani diplomats and staff based in Britain and Europe, and the British High Commission in Pakistan, for their roles in facilitating the resumption.

The suspension followed a crash on May 22, 2020, when an Airbus A320 operating...