FAA team to assess Pakistan-US flights

KARACHI:

A team from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is scheduled to visit Pakistan in March to assess the feasibility of resuming direct flights between Pakistan and the US.

In preparation for the visit, Islamabad has already paid the required $75,000 fee, sources have revealed.

Direct flights from Pakistan to the US were suspended in 2017 and efforts to restore them faced setbacks due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2020 PIA aircraft crash in Karachi.

Following the European Union's ban on the national carrier, the FAA downgraded Pakistan's aviation safety rating from category CA1 to category CA2, further delaying the resumption of flights.

During the Covid-19 crisis, Pakistan was granted special permission to operate 12 flights on humanitarian grounds to the US, seven of which were successfully conducted.

To pave the way for flight resumption, PIA and PCAA have taken various measures to address safety and regulatory concerns. The FAA's five-member team is expected to conduct a preliminary assessment in March, marking a crucial step toward restoring Pakistan's aviation rating. Additionally, clearance from the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be required before flights can officially resume.

If the restrictions are lifted, PIA is expected to reinstate direct flights to major US cities, including New York, Chicago, and Houston. In the past, PIA operated its US flights via Manchester but efforts are now focused on establishing non-stop connectivity.