PIA to resume direct London flights from March 2026
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced that it will resume direct flights to London from March 2026, marking a significant development for the national carrier following the lifting of a five-year UK aviation ban.
According to official sources, PIA has formally informed London’s Heathrow Airport authorities through a written communication of its decision to restart direct London operations from March next year. The move comes as part of the airline’s broader plan to expand its UK network after resuming flights to Manchester earlier this year.
PIA had been barred from operating flights to the United Kingdom after safety concerns led British aviation authorities to impose restrictions on Pakistani airlines. The ban was lifted recently, allowing PIA to gradually restore its presence in the UK aviation market.
During the suspension period, PIA successfully retained its valuable Heathrow airport slots by temporarily assigning them to Turkish Airlines. This arrangement ensured that the slots remained active and protected, enabling PIA to reclaim them once the restriction was removed. The airline has now secured approval for four weekly Heathrow slots, which were previously used by Turkish Airlines.
Aviation officials said the slot-sharing arrangement was designed as a protective measure to safeguard PIA’s long-term access to Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest and most competitive airports. With the suspension now over, PIA is preparing to relaunch direct London services under its original slot allocation.
The announcement comes just days after a consortium led by the Arif Habib Corporation acquired a 75 percent stake in PIA for Rs135 billion through a live-televised auction, surpassing the government’s reserve price of Rs100 billion. The successful bid marked a major breakthrough in the government’s efforts to privatise the loss-making airline after an earlier attempt failed last year.
Read More: Arif Habib responds to claims PIA sold at low price
Industry experts view the resumption of direct London flights as a critical milestone for PIA’s revival strategy, especially in the wake of its partial privatisation. The UK route is considered one of the airline’s most commercially important sectors due to strong passenger demand from the Pakistani diaspora.
The restart of direct London operations from March 2026 is expected to strengthen PIA’s international footprint, restore passenger confidence, and support its long-term turnaround under new ownership.
