Continuing ban

Listen to article

It appears the UK's ban on PIA flights isn't going anywhere, because regulators there still question our flag carrier's safety credentials. The UK Department for Transport surprised some aviation watchers with its decision, because even post-Brexit, its policies usually align with the EU's aviation regulator. Remember the EU removed the ban on PIA earlier this year and PIA has since restarted flights to Paris, with more destinations coming soon.

However, despite initial reports that the ban would be lifted, British authorities are still unconvinced, and although they haven't given a specific reason, there have been a few unflattering incidents in the past few months. One major embarrassment in the interim period since the EU's ban removal and the UK's review of its ban was an incident where a Lahore-bound PIA plane's wheel apparently fell off during or just after take-off from Karachi. PIA, Pakistani regulators and planemaker Airbus are still investigating that incident.

The UK routes are critical for PIA if the airline is to be made profitable, either pre- or post-privatisation. The large number of British Pakistanis makes London, Manchester and Birmingham extremely popular destinations, and PIA faces little competition in terms of direct flights. British Airways is the only airline currently offering direct flights between the UK and Pakistan — three flights per week between Islamabad and London.

However, for PIA to capitalise on the routes, it would not only need to address safety, but also quality and cost. Virgin Atlantic, one of the world's top-rated airlines, quit Pakistan in 2023 after deeming the routes "low yield operations". Meanwhile, Middle Eastern airlines compensate for the additional travel time by offering a world-class flying experience, even in economy class. Conversely, PIA downgraded its business class product to "executive economy" in the face of complaints about the service quality and condition of seats and the cabin in general.