Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is heavily indebted and has had fatal crashes. It has a culture of improper pilot licenses, and it was banned from flying into the US, UK, and EU almost a year ago, in June 2020.
That ban is no longer on PIA’s head as European regulators lifted a four-year ban imposed on Friday.
AFP journalists saw the Pakistan International Airlines jet leave Islamabad at 12:40 p.m. (0740 GMT) to head for Paris. Pakistan International Airlines is the only airline with a direct route to and from the European Union.
Passenger M/s Shumaila, a 40-year-old German schoolteacher, stated that this is her inaugural journey with PIA.
“I am apprehensive and experiencing considerable anxiety; however, I am confident that the flight will be favorable.”
Debt In June 2020, PIA was banned from flying to the US, EU, and Korea, a month after one of its Airbus A-320s crashed into a street in Karachi, killing almost 100 people.
Both the air traffic control and the pilots quickly blamed human error. Then, it was alleged that nearly one-third of its pilots’ licenses were fabricated or dubious.
During a flight from the remote north to Islamabad in 2016, the two turboprop engines of a PIA aircraft suddenly failed and exploded into flames, killing over 40 people.
The European Aviation Safety Agency said the ban had been lifted in November. However, flying in the US and the UK is still banned.
It stated that it has “re-established adequate confidence” in the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority’s regulatory authority.
The airline flies to several cities in Pakistan, the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and the mountainous north.
Privatization is the foundation of expectations.
PIA employs 7,000 staff and has been criticized for being too large and mismanaged.
The airline has unpaid invoices, a record of poor safety, and regulatory issues. In recent months, the Pakistani government has declared its commitment to privatizing the financially troubled airline and has actively pursued a definitive buyer.
A buyer agreed to pay only a tiny fraction of the asking price, so a sale did not proceed late last year.
The government believes that establishing European routes would raise its prospects of selling its shares. It also believes that Britain will soon announce a similar statement this year.
Local news agencies reported that PIA posted $270 million in losses for 2023. The liabilities were reportedly about $3 billion, nearly five times the net value of assets.
When it could not afford fuel for its aircraft that year, hundreds of domestic flights were canceled, triggering a nationwide economic crisis.
The Legacy of PIA: From Nationalization to Expansion.
PIA was born when the government nationalized a failing commercial airline in 1955. It expanded quickly until the 1990s.
A replica of the Arc de Triomphe greeted visitors at Islamabad Airport, coinciding with the launch of resumed flights to Europe.
The side nose said, “I love Paris,” while the rear end resembled the Eiffel Tower.
On November 29, 2024, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said that the ban would be lifted once the airline adhered to the strict safety requirements of the EU.
PIA will operate two weekly flights from Paris to Islamabad. It is the only airline operating flights between the world’s major cities.
After a deadly crash in Pakistan, EASA issued the first ban in June 2020 due to massive safety concerns.
On May 22, 2020, a PIA Airbus A320 aircraft collided with a densely populated residential zone near its destination while on a domestic flight from Lahore to Karachi.
Two of the 99 passengers survived with injuries, while the other 97 died. Ten people on the ground were also injured in the crash; two of them died later.
Eight Boeing 777s, twelve Airbus A320s, and three ATRs are among the aircraft PIA intends to restore to service in 2025 after being stored.
In December 2024, a representative from PIA asserted: “The airline is committed to meeting fleet requirements for its ambitious operational plan for 2025, which encompasses the anticipated expansion of our network and the potential reinstatement of flights to the UK and Europe.”
PIA is delighted to maintain the country’s highest on-time performance of over 90% and schedule reliability.
Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif says the flight to Paris was fully booked as he bade adieu to passengers.
Federal Minister for Aviation Khawaja Asif greeted the outgoing passengers at the airport. Flight PK 749 was fully booked, which is a good omen for the airline, which has recently faced several challenges.
Speaking at a ceremony after the flight took off, Asif said that the national airline’s flights to Europe are operating again. PIA is now connecting Pakistan with the French capital.
The minister said that PIA’s operations had suffered because several past profitable routes had been closed.
He added that these losses had also affected services offered to Pakistanis living abroad, especially in Europe.
Asif said that PIA had been a source of national pride, offering essential services such as free return flights for the remains of departed Pakistanis.
However, this program has been withdrawn, depriving many Pakistanis living abroad of this crucial assistance.
The minister further said that restoring PIA’s European routes was just the beginning and looked forward to a bright future for the national flag carrier.
He said that the airline will soon offer direct flights to the UK, which will help it reach more people.
He further suggested that privatizing PIA may be the way to ensure the long-term prosperity and profitability of the airline.
Khawaja Asif expressed, “The green and white flag of Pakistan is once again fluttering in European skies,” in response to the airline’s resumption.
He also used the opportunity to condemn the damage that an ex-minister’s “reckless” statements against PIA had caused over the years.
He said such statements should not be allowed to damage the national carrier’s brand and that those responsible should be held accountable.
This was the first significant success in the airline’s rehabilitation as PIA’s first flight to Paris, which carried 323 people, took off without any problem.
Explore Paris with PIA’s Weekly Flight Offerings.
According to The News, the PIA will run two weekly direct flights to Paris with reasonably priced tickets.
Owed money One of PIA’s A-320s crashed into Karachi Street in June 2020, killing about 100 people. The company could not fly to the US, UK, or EU for one month.
The previous aviation minister, Ghulam Sarwa, accused the pilots and air traffic control of human error for the accident. Then, about one-third of its pilots’ licenses were alleged to be phony or questionable.
In November, the European Aviation Safety Board declared the restriction removed. Nonetheless, it continues to be prohibited in the United States and the United Kingdom.
It stated that it had “re-established adequate confidence” in the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority’s supervisory authority.
The airline flies to several cities in Pakistan, the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and the mountainous north.
The airline, which was haemorrhaging money, lost 40 billion rupees ($144 million) a year due to the embargo.