PIA's flight resumption to UK likely to delay further and here's why

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan International Airlines' flight operation's resumption to the United Kingdom and other European destinations seems to have been delayed further.

Earlier, it was announced by former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar that in October, direct flights from Pakistan to the United Kingdom would resume by October; however, the plan seems to have been delayed by a few more months.

In this regard, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) director-general (DG) has said that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has promised to pay a visit in November to Pakistan for the restoration of the flights, implying that flights are not going to be restored at least by November.

EASA is responsible for ensuring safety and environmental protection in air transport in Europe and without its nod, it is impossible to operate flights to the UK and European destinations.

The official also claimed that talks with the European officials remained successful in Brussels and during the upcoming visit, EASA will conduct a physical audit of the national flag carrier.

The flight operations of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to the United Kingdom and other European destinations were halted due to multiple issues including a statement by former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar in which he had claimed that the licenses of most of the pilots of the national flag carrier were fake.

Direct flights between the UK and Pakistan through Pakistan International Airlines have been at a halt since July 2020. Not only that, direct flights through other carriers have also been affected.

In 2020, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight operations for Europe over safety concerns.

EASA said that they had suspended the Third Country Operator (TCO) Authorisation to PIA after it failed to comply with the proposed corrective action plans (CAPs).

At least six findings were raised with the PIA officials during meetings in June and September 2019, out of which five of the action plans were implemented while one other concerning element of a Safety Management System was not implemented.

Efforts have also been made by a member of the UK Parliament, Naz Shah to resume direct flights to Pakistan and in this regard, the MP wrote a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport of the United Kingdom, Mark Harper to permit direct flights between the two countries.

The lawmaker - in her communication in May this year - emphasized that around 2,70,000 Pakistanis residing in the UK are affected by the flight disruption between the two countries.