PIA gives two more London Heathrow slots to Saudi Airlines on lease

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has decided to lease two additional London Heathrow slots to Saudi Airlines as the national carrier has formally submitted a request to the Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), the world’s leading airport slot coordinator.

According to PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez, the airline has requested a slot swap with ACL for its London Heathrow operations in the summer of 2025. The plan involves leasing two returning slots from Vietnam Airlines to Saudi Airlines from April 5 to October 25.

Pakistan had to lease out its slots at European airports after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended PIA’s authorization to operate in the bloc in June 2020 due to concerns about the country’s compliance with international aviation standards.

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In November 2024, EASA lifted the ban, allowing PIA to resume flights. Last month, the airline restarted its Europe operations with a flight from Islamabad to Paris. Despite resuming its Europe operations, the debt-ridden airline is still barred from operating flights to the UK and the US.

In 2023, PIA posted losses of $270 million, according to local media, with liabilities nearing $3 billion, roughly five times the total worth of its assets.