PIA to resume Islamabad-London flights from March 29 after six-year hiatus

• PIA to operate four flights per week from Islamabad to London.
• Airline already operating three flights each week to Manchester.
• London flights to be operated via Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4.
  

KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Tuesday announced resuming its flights to London after a six-year hiatus from March 29, 2026.

The airline will operate four flights per week from Islamabad to London, said an airline spokesperson, adding that the flights will be operated via Heathrow Airport’s state-of-the-art Terminal 4.

The London flights will further add to passengers’ ease, who are currently able to utilise PIA’s three flights per week to Manchester.

The airline’s announcement comes after last week the sources said that it had secured approval for four weekly flight slots at London’s Heathrow Airport. These slots had previously been allocated to Turkish Airlines to keep them active while the PIA’s UK operations remained suspended.

They said the arrangement was made to ensure the slots were not forfeited during the suspension period imposed on the airline.

With restrictions now easing, the airline has formally informed Heathrow Airport in writing of its decision to restart London flights from March 2026.

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.