After Islamabad, PIA announces resuming Lahore-London flights

• PIA to operate seven flights per week from Pakistan to London.
• London flights to be operated via Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4.
• London flights to be increased gradually, depending on demand.
  

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Thursday announced the resumption of its flight operations from Lahore to London, marking a major step in restoring its UK network after a long suspension.

According to the airline spokesperson, the first flight, PK-757, will depart from Lahore for London on March 30. All PIA flights from Lahore to London will land at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4.

The resumption of flights comes after a six-year hiatus, during which PIA’s operations to the UK remained largely suspended. London is among the earliest international destinations in PIA’s global network, making the revival of this route particularly significant for the national carrier.

With the launch of Lahore-London services, the total number of weekly PIA flights to the UK will increase to seven. Prior to the imposition of restrictions, PIA operated 10 weekly flights between Pakistan and London.

The airline has stated that flights to London will be increased gradually, depending on demand and operational readiness.

Earlier, PIA had announced the resumption of three weekly direct flights from Islamabad to London, which are scheduled to begin on March 29.

The restoration of direct UK flights is expected to provide relief to passengers, particularly the Pakistani diaspora in Britain, and is seen as a positive development for PIA’s international operations.

The resumption of London flights is also to be taken against the backdrop of PIA’s successful privatisation, where its 75% stake has been sold to a consortium headed by the Arif Habib Corporation.

Since then, the consortium, which bought the airline for Rs135 billion, has said that it plans to extend the fleet to 64 aircraft in phases.

Furthermore, the Fauji Fertiliser Company Limited has joined the Arif Habib-led consortium and will not only contribute to the airline’s financial support and corporate expertise but will also be part of the management structure.