PIA returns to Manchester airport after five-year hiatus 

Pakistan International Airlines is returning to Manchester airport tomorrow (Saturday) after five-year hiatus.

 

Four Boeing 777-200ER flights a week are initially scheduled from Islamabad following the UK removing the airline from its Air Safety List in July.

 

The move was predicated by “rigorous technical audits and demonstrable improvements” in the airline’s aviation safety standards. 

 

The five-year suspension, which began in 2020, prompted an intensive period of reform within Pakistan’s aviation sector, according to the carrier.

 

The safety clampdown followed a PIA aircraft crashing on approach to Karachi airport from Lahore with the loss of 97 lives in May 2020. Only two people survived.

 

A PIA statement said: “The UK’s decision to lift restrictions sends a strong message of confidence in Pakistan’s aviation sector, potentially paving the way for further international collaboration and partnerships between the nations.”

 

One-way fares from Manchester start at £633 with a flight time of under eight hours. 

 

Flights to Heathrow and Birmingham are expected to follow in the next phase as demand dictates, PIA noted.

 

Negotiations on PIA’s return to Heathrow are understood to be ongoing. 

 

High Commissioner of Pakistan to the UK, Dr Mohammad Faisal, said: "The re-establishment of direct air links is a powerful symbol of our enduring friendship and deepening partnership with the United Kingdom. 

 

“This will unlock immense opportunities, most importantly for people and their families, as well as trade, tourism, and cultural exchange. 

 

“The arrival of PIA’s first flight is a momentous occasion, celebrating not only a technical achievement but a renewed bond between two nations."