PIA makes British envoy ‘honorary pilot’, gives her captain’s cap

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday conferred the title of ‘honorary pilot’ on High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott and presented her with a captain’s cap.

According to a PIA spokesperson, the gesture followed the British envoy’s domestic flight from Karachi to Islamabad with PIA, which she described as a memorable experience, expressing her best wishes for the airline.

She also shared a video of her recent flight, captioning it “Come fly with me!”

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A post shared by UK in Pakistan 🇬🇧🇵🇰 (@ukinpakistan)

In the video, posted on the official Instagram account of the United Kingdom Embassy in Islamabad, the high commissioner was seen visiting the cockpit, where she received a briefing from the PIA captain.

“Our High Commissioner Jane Marriott enjoyed her PIA flight from Karachi to Islamabad. The UK has lifted its air safety ban, a milestone reflecting the hard work of aviation experts in Pakistan and the UK to meet international safety standards,” the post read.

Jane Marriott – who is known for her interest in aviation – also expressed her pleasure over the lifting of the ban on Pakistani airlines, which now allows them to resume flight operations to the UK after more than five years.

“We look forward to welcoming Pakistani airlines back to the UK soon!” she added.

According to the airline’s spokesperson, the PIA chief met the envoy and acknowledged her support for the national carrier’s efforts to restore international operations.

The envoy thanked the national flag carrier and expressed hope for its continued improvement and success.

PIA shared the British envoy’s video on its official X account, expressing hope to welcome her on one of its international flights as well following the resumption of operations to the UK.

It was a pleasure to welcome the High Commissioner @ukinpakistan H.E @JaneMarriottUK onboard #PIA flight. She impressed us with her passion for flying.

With the resumption of our operations to #UK #Manchester, we are looking forward to welcoming her again.… pic.twitter.com/ixz2QXKEwK

— PIA (@Official_PIA) August 6, 2025

It may be recalled that on July 16, the UK’s Air Safety Committee had removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List following major improvements in aviation safety standards.

Welcoming the development, Jane Marriott had said, “I’m grateful to aviation experts in both countries for their hard work. I look forward to flying with a Pakistani airline to visit family and friends.”