Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has reinstated direct flights between Lahore and Manchester, with the first service departing from Lahore’s provincial capital on Thursday.
The airline reported that PK‑709 departed Lahore carrying 325 passengers.
An inaugural ceremony at Lahore airport welcomed the passengers, with PIA Chief Operating Officer Khurram Mushtaq officiating the launch, according to the company’s statement.
The preceding evening, the first flight from Manchester heading to Lahore departed on schedule.
PIA said the resumption of the Lahore‑Manchester route would strengthen “people-to-people ties” between the two countries.
The airline now operates five weekly flights between Pakistan and Manchester, including four from Islamabad and one from Lahore.
Previous bans had prohibited Pakistani carriers from flying to the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States following a fatal aircraft accident in Karachi in June 2020, which claimed nearly 100 lives.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency had barred PIA due to safety concerns, a decision that was reversed on 28 November 2024. In July 2025, the United Kingdom removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, enabling Pakistani airlines to apply for UK routes.
PIA received approval to resume direct UK flights in September 2025 after a nearly five‑year hiatus, with Manchester re‑established as its first destination. On 8 January, the airline announced plans to reinstate direct services to London, concluding a six‑year break.
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