LONDON – The UK Department for Transport confirmed on Tuesday that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will remain on the air safety list.
A department spokesperson stated that the UK Civil Aviation Authority remains in communication with Pakistani officials regarding the matter. “Airlines must undergo a stringent process before restrictions can be lifted,” the spokesperson added.
The UK Air Safety List includes countries and airlines restricted from operating flights to, from, or within the UK due to safety concerns. According to an official UK government website, all Pakistani-certified airlines remain barred from commercial flights in the UK.
Recently, reports suggested that the ban on PIA flights to the UK could soon be lifted, as the British Air Safety Committee held a key meeting on the subject.
The ban was initially imposed in July 2020 by UK and European aviation regulators following a controversy over fake pilot licenses. However, Pakistani authorities have remained optimistic about a positive outcome in the upcoming review.
In 2020, then-Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, alleged that several pilots were flying with fraudulent licenses. His statement followed the tragic crash of a PIA Airbus A-320 in Karachi, which resulted in nearly 100 fatalities.
As a consequence, PIA was barred from operating in the European Union, UK, and the United States. The restriction led to an estimated revenue loss of Rs40 billion ($144 million) annually for the struggling airline.
After years of suspension, PIA resumed its European operations in January 2025 with a direct flight from Islamabad to Paris.
