Pakistan removed from the UK’s Air Safety List, PIA, others can operate  

Celina Ali

Islamabad:  The United Kingdom on Wednesday removed Pakistan from the UK’s Air Safety List, alloing the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and others to resume operations.

“Today’s announcement means that all Pakistani airlines can now apply to operate flights to the UK. Following air safety improvements, the UK’s Air Safety Committee has lifted UK restrictions on Pakistani carriers. Individual airline carriers will still need to apply for permits to operate to the UK through the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said an official statement.

 British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, said: “I’m grateful to aviation experts in the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work to drive improvements to meet international safety standards. While it will take time for flights to resume, once the logistics are in place, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends.”

Decisions on de-listing states and air carriers from the UK Air Safety List are made through an independent aviation safety process. This is overseen by the UK’s Air Safety Committee, who have been closely engaging with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority over several years. The Committee has judged that necessary safety improvements have been made since its original decision in 2021. Therefore, based on this independent and technically-driven process, it has decided to remove Pakistan and its air carriers from the List.

With over 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the UK and thousands of British nationals in Pakistan, today’s announcement brings opportunities to make it easier for families to reunite. The UK is Pakistan’s third largest trading partner, with a bilateral relationship worth £4.7 billion. Any ease in travel between both countries will help this important trade relationship to thrive.