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Pakistan’s national carrier is set to resume flights to Europe on Friday, marking the end of a nearly four-year suspension of its European operations.
The first flight will depart from Islamabad International Airport at 11:30 AM, arriving in Paris at 4:00 PM, the airline announced on Thursday.
The suspension, imposed in 2020, followed a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash in Karachi that claimed 97 lives. The incident was further overshadowed by revelations from a former aviation minister alleging that nearly 40% of local pilots held “dubious” licenses. These claims raised international concerns about Pakistan’s aviation safety standards, leading European regulators to ban PIA flights.
“PIA’s flight will depart from Islamabad to Paris tomorrow,” the airline confirmed in a statement. Initially, two weekly flights will operate on Fridays and Sundays, with plans to gradually increase the frequency.
The suspension had deepened PIA’s financial struggles, as the debt-laden airline grappled with restoring its reputation and regaining market confidence.
