EU lifts ban on Pakistan state airline flights to Europe, says minister

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted its bar on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from operating in the bloc, it said on Friday.

EASA suspended PIA’s authorisation to operate in the EU in June 2020 over concerns the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to ensure compliance with international aviation standards.

The suspension came days after Pakistan launched an investigation into the validity of pilots’ licenses issued in the country following a PIA plane crash that killed 97 people.

“EASA has now re-established sufficient confidence in the PCAA oversight capabilities,” an EASA spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Reuters. It said that the decision to authorise PIA to perform commercial air transport operations to, from and within the EU was based on the “significant efforts” made by the PCAA.

Pakistan had grounded 262 of the country’s 860 pilots, including 141 of PIA’s 434, whose licences the then aviation minister termed “dubious”. The investigation ultimately did not reveal any major concerns, but the suspension remained in place.

PIA in a statement also welcomed the announcement, vowing to abide by EASA regulations.

Defence Minister Khwaja Asif, while speaking to local broadcaster Geo News, said the lifting of the ban would revitalise the debt-ridden national flag carrier and the effort to privatise it. “Our government 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.”

He thanked the European Commission and the EASA for conducting a transparent process and our commitment to ensure aviation safety in Pakistan.

The aviation minister expressed gratitude to the European Commission and EASA for conducting a transparent process and our commitment to ensure Aviation safety in Pakistan. He also expressed hope that the UK and other countries would follow the EU, to remove the ban on PIA.

Speaking to Geo News, the minister said that the “lifting of suspension” would help in privatisation of the loss-making national carrier.

After the fresh development, PIA’s flight operations to the EU would be restored soon, he said. Responding to a question, Asif said that PIA’s rating has improved and hoped the UK and other countries would also lift their restrictions on the national flag carrier.

The ban was costing PIA nearly 40 billion Pakistani rupees ($144 million) in revenue annually, according to government records presented in parliament.
PIA and the government had been pressing EASA to lift the ban even provisionally. The government’s attempt to privatise the airline fell flat when it received only a single offer, that too well below its asking price.

“Wonderful news of lifting of the ban on PIA flights in the entire European Union,” Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a post in social media platform X.
Reacting to the EASA’s decision, a spokesperson of the PIA said: “We have achieved this key milestone after tireless efforts of four years.”
The nationals would be able to travel to European sectors via direct flights again, the airline announced. “The European safety agency has formally apprised the aviation ministry and the airline’s administration via a letter.”

The spokesperson, in a statement, congratulated the PIA administration for successfully meeting the strict standards of the EASA for aviation security besides vowing for complete compliance with the regulations.

Agencies