Pakistan's national flag carrier on Friday resumed its operations in Europe with the maiden flight to Paris, ending a more than four-year ban by the European Union's aviation agency over safety standards.
Pakistan International Airlines' authorisation to operate in Europe was suspended in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority to ensure compliance with international aviation standards following the crash of its plane after a failed attempt to land in Karachi.
The first flight after the ban's suspension took off from Islamabad International Airport (IIAP) at 12:10 pm, utilising a Boeing 777 (AP-BGK) aircraft. The flight carried 330 passengers and 14 crew members.
The inaugural flight, PK-749, was waved off by Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat and other senior officials.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Khawaja Asif praised the efforts of PIA and Civil Aviation for making the European flights possible. He expressed gratitude to the European Union aviation officials for evaluating Pakistan's standards.
To celebrate the relaunch, THE PIA has decorated the aircraft with a model of the Eiffel Tower on its tail and the slogan “I Love Paris” on the nose. The Boeing 777 has been prepared in line with European Union aviation standards.
A PIA spokesman said the airline is now expanding its wings to Europe and will operate direct flights between Islamabad and Paris twice a week, on Fridays and Sundays.
He said the new service has been well-received, with full bookings for the first two flights. “We anticipate strong demand for this route in the coming months,” he said.
The spokesman insisted that this direct route to Paris addresses a long-standing demand from the Pakistani community in France and Pakistan, offering affordable fares and time savings.
“The PIA is committed to enhancing connectivity and ensuring convenient travel options for its passengers, both domestically and internationally,” the spokesman said.
The relaunch followed the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) decision to lift the ban, enabling PIA to resume services in Europe and the UK.
The ban was imposed after then aviation minister, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, gave a controversial statement soon after the Karachi crash about the authenticity of the Pakistani pilots that prompted the EASA to ban the airline from its most lucrative routes in Europe and Britain.
Pakistan is trying to privatise the airline and the restoration of flights to Europe is expected to help the authorities to offload the PIA.
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