UK to decide on lifting ban on Pakistani airlines after 5 years

(Web Desk): The UK’s Air Safety Committee is set to meet on Thursday, March 20, to discuss the five-year ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other Pakistani carriers.

The committee will review the situation of Pakistani airlines, which have been banned from flying to the UK and Europe since July 2020. The ban was imposed after a scandal involving fake pilot licenses raised concerns about aviation safety in Pakistan.

Officials from Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are hopeful for a positive decision. “With flights to Europe now back in operation, we hope the UK will also lift the ban on Pakistani airlines,” a CAA official said.

The ban was enforced after European and British regulators suspended PIA’s flights, citing issues with the licensing and certification of pilots. The suspension has severely affected Pakistan’s aviation sector by limiting direct flight options to the UK and Europe.

If the committee decides to lift the ban, Pakistani airlines could soon resume flights to the UK, which would be a major boost for Pakistan’s aviation industry.