PIA inaugurates direct Lahore–Manchester flights

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has launched direct flights between Lahore and Manchester, with its inaugural flight, PK-709, departing on Wednesday night.

In a statement today, the PIA said that a total of 325 passengers travelled on the inaugural flight to Manchester and were seen off by PIA’s local management and officials of the Manchester Airport Group.

An inaugural ceremony was also held at the Lahore Airport.

READ MORE: PIA resumes London flight operations after six-year hiatus

On the occasion, passengers welcomed the restoration of direct air connectivity between Lahore and Manchester, describing it as a significant development for the Pakistani community residing in the United Kingdom.

With the introduction of this new service, PIA’s weekly flights between Pakistan and Manchester have increased to five.

Of these, four weekly flights operate from Islamabad, while one weekly flight operates from Lahore, added the statement.

In October 2025, PIA resumed direct flights to Manchester, UK, after a five-year hiatus, following the UK’s decision to remove PIA from its Air Safety List on July 16, 2025.

Four weekly flights were initially expected to operate between Islamabad and Manchester, with flights to Birmingham and London to follow in the next phase.