The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday announced that it has received Third Country Operator (TCO) certification from U.K. authorities, allowing it to resume direct operations to Britain as early as next month.
In a post on its official X account, the national flag carrier confirmed that it plans to resume its U.K. operations by next month. It also thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, the Ministry of Defense, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), and other affiliated institutions for their patronage and support.
According to a letter issued by the U.K. Department for Transport, PIA has regained permanent approval to operate cargo flights from Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi to Britain. This designation is valid until August 2030. The letter stated that pre-screening would no longer be required for U.K.-bound cargo from Islamabad and Lahore but noted that British authorities retained the right to conduct sudden inspections of PIA’s procedures with little or no notice.
U.K. and European aviation authorities banned PIA from operating direct flights in July 2020 after then-aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan alleged a majority of pilots had “fake” licenses. A year later, Pakistan was placed on the U.K.’s Air Safety List over serious safety concerns.
Last year, the European Union (lifted the ban on PIA and other operators from flying to different European destinations. In July 2025, the U.K.’s Air Safety Committee announced Pakistan’s removal from the Air Safety List, clearing the way for its airlines to apply for permissions to resume direct flights.