After nearly four years, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted its ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to Europe, marking a major step toward the airline’s recovery.
Pakistani Defense and Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the development on Friday, calling it a “momentous day” for the country’s aviation sector and a significant step toward PIA’s operational recovery.
The suspension was imposed in June 2020 following safety concerns triggered by a tragic crash of a PIA aircraft in Karachi, which resulted in the loss of nearly 100 lives. Investigations revealed widespread irregularities in pilot licensing, prompting EASA to suspend PIA’s authorization to operate in European airspace.
In a post on social media platform X, the Pakistani aviation minister hailed the decision, saying: “It is a momentous day to announce that European Commission and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted the suspension on PIA flights to Europe. Not only this, TCO authorization has also been issued to second Pakistani airline – Airblue Limited.”
“It is made possible due to complete focus of Aviation Ministry to strengthen PCAA [Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority] and ensuring safety oversight in line with ICAO standards. Our Govt has taken significant measures to strengthen PCAA including enactment of PCAA Act, smooth segregation of regulator and service providers, appointment of professional leadership and training to build the capacity.
Asif expressed his gratitude to the European Commission and EASA for their transparency throughout the review process.
Riina Kionka, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Pakistan, also shared the development in a social media post.
The lifting of the ban will allow PIA to resume flights to key European destinations, which have been critical to its revenue. The airline had lost approximately Rs40 billion in annual revenue due to the suspension. The decision comes after concerted efforts to reform the country’s aviation regulatory framework, with hopes to restore passenger confidence and rebuild PIA’s European network.
In addition to the restoration of PIA’s European operations, EASA also granted TCO (Third Country Operator) authorization to Airblue, another Pakistani airline. This marks a significant achievement for Pakistan’s aviation sector, which has been grappling with financial challenges and reputational damage since the suspension.
EASA has not yet issued an official comment, but the lifting of the ban is expected to boost Pakistan’s aviation industry and PIA’s operational recovery.