PIA Resumes Islamabad–Manchester Flights

Pakistan International Airlines resumed direct flights to the UK on October 25, 2025, launching an inaugural Islamabad–Manchester service carrying about 284 passengers and ending a five-year suspension. The return followed extensive safety reforms, inspections and regulatory clearances — including a Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit/Third Country Operator approval — after a 2020 Karachi crash that killed 97 people and a fake pilot-license scandal. A formal ceremony in Islamabad attended by senior officials and diplomats marked the relaunch, which officials say will strengthen travel, trade and cultural ties and benefit the roughly 1.6 million-strong Pakistani diaspora in Britain. PIA plans to expand restored UK services to Birmingham and London, and Pakistani and UK authorities say new vetting mechanisms have been implemented to satisfy safety regulators. Restored routes are expected to help recover revenue lost during the ban and to pave the way for wider international expansion, including planned US services, while serving as a milestone in rebuilding confidence in Pakistan’s aviation safety.