ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Thursday that it will resume direct flights from Lahore to London from March 30, marking another step in the expansion of its operations to the United Kingdom after a prolonged suspension.
In a statement, a PIA spokesperson said the decision follows the airline’s recent restoration of flights to Manchester and the scheduled launch of Islamabad–London services from March 29. He said arrangements for the Lahore–London route had now been finalised in response to strong passenger demand.
The spokesperson said PIA plans to operate up to seven weekly flights to the UK by the end of March. Under the current schedule, the airline will operate three flights a week from Islamabad to London and one weekly flight from Lahore, with plans to gradually increase frequencies.
He said flights were being added due to sustained demand from Pakistanis and expatriates living in the UK, noting that all existing UK-bound flights were operating at full capacity. The spokesperson added that PIA had previously operated more than 22 weekly frequencies to the UK and aimed to exceed that number over time.
According to the airline, the decision to restart Islamabad–London and Lahore–London flights on consecutive dates was driven by operational readiness and passenger demand. PIA also plans to expand services to other UK destinations in the future.
PIA’s UK operations were suspended in June 2020 after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency barred the airline from flying to EU states over safety concerns following a deadly crash near Karachi. The ban came after Pakistan launched an investigation into pilot licensing procedures.
The European regulator lifted the restriction in November 2024, while the United Kingdom removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List in July 2025, allowing Pakistani airlines to apply for flight operations. PIA subsequently received approval to resume UK services, restarting flights to Manchester in the first phase.
The restoration of direct services to London from both Islamabad and Lahore is being seen as a key milestone in the national carrier’s efforts to rebuild its international network after nearly six years of disruption.
