PIA to expand London flight operations from October 27

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to expand its flight operations to London, with seven weekly flights scheduled from October 27.

According to a PIA spokesperson, five of the flights will operate from Islamabad and two from Lahore.

The national flag carrier currently operates four weekly flights to London.

The increase in frequency reflects growing passenger demand and confidence, the spokesperson said.

The expansion will provide overseas Pakistanis and other travellers with more options and improved connectivity between Pakistan and the UK.

PIA’s direct flights to the UK were suspended after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) banned the airline’s operations in EU countries in June 2020, following the Karachi plane crash that killed nearly 100 people.

The ban came after then aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan told parliament that around 40 per cent of Pakistani pilots held “dubious” licences, raising concerns over aviation safety.

The EASA lifted its ban on PIA in November 2024 after more than four years.

The UK subsequently removed Pakistan from its air safety list in July 2025, allowing Pakistani airlines to apply to resume flights to Britain.

PIA received approval in September 2025 to resume direct flights to the UK after a nearly five-year suspension and restarted direct London services in March.