Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Friday that it will resume flights to Europe in January, beginning with Paris, following the lifting of a ban by the EU aviation regulator on the national flag carrier.
PIA's authorization to operate in the EU was suspended in June 2020 due to concerns about the Pakistani authorities' and its Civil Aviation Authority's ability to adhere to international aviation standards.
"We have received approval for the first flight's schedule we submitted," said PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan, noting that bookings for the planned January 10 flight to Paris on a Boeing 777 will open on December 9.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Britain had suspended PIA's operating rights in the region after Pakistan launched an investigation into a scandal involving the validity of pilots' licenses following a plane crash that claimed 97 lives.
Khan further stated that PIA will soon seek permission from Britain's Department for Transport (DfT) to resume routes to the UK. Once approved, London, Manchester, and Birmingham are expected to be the most popular destinations.
The ban resulted in a revenue loss of 40 billion rupees ($144 million) annually for the already loss-making airline. PIA holds 23% of Pakistan's domestic aviation market, but its 34-plane fleet struggles to compete with Middle Eastern carriers that control 60% of the market, largely due to a lack of direct flights despite agreements with 87 countries and key landing slots.
Pakistan's attempt to privatize PIA failed when it received only one offer, significantly below its asking price.
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