Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is set to resume direct flight operations to the United Kingdom this month after a gap of several years, following regulatory approvals from British aviation authorities.
The Pakistan High Commission in London announced on Friday that the UK Civil Aviation Authority has issued the Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit (FOP), the final document required to enable commercial flights.
High Commissioner Dr Mohammad Faisal thanked the UK authorities for facilitating the process, noting that the resumption of PIA services will ease travel for the more than 1.7 million-strong Pakistani diaspora in the UK.
In the first phase, PIA will relaunch flights to Manchester, with services to Birmingham and London to follow, the High Commission said.
Earlier, PIA had confirmed that it received Third Country Operator (TCO) approval from the British authorities, along with a five-year ACC3 certification for security and cargo operations.
According to a PIA spokesperson, the certifications demonstrate confidence in the airline’s safety and operational standards and also allow it to operate both passenger and cargo services between Pakistan and the UK.
The resumption marks a major development for the national carrier, which has been working to restore its international network after years of restricted operations.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.