PIA touches down in London after six-year hiatus

Dubai: After a six-year pause, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) returned to London skies on Sunday, signalling a major milestone in UK-Pakistan air travel.

Flight PK-785 departed Islamabad International Airport at 1:19pm (PST), kicking off a service that will operate three weekly flights from Islamabad and one from Lahore, offering passengers faster, more convenient travel between the two countries.

The inaugural flight was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Pakistan’s Defence Secretary Lt Gen (r) Muhammad Ali, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, and PIA Consortium Chairman Arif Habib.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had earlier confirmed that direct flights from Islamabad and Lahore to London’s Heathrow Airport would resume on March 29 and 30, respectively.

With a history of operating to #London spanning 7 decades, starting from Super Constellation to first jet aircraft @BoeingAirplanes 707 to the state of the art Boeing 777, #PIA has always strived to serve its customers to the best of its abilities.

Resuming direct flights to… pic.twitter.com/X0JaSCTHBR

— PIA (@Official_PIA) March 25, 2026

Official clearance

PIA had received official clearance last September to restart UK operations after nearly five years, initially resuming flights to Manchester, followed by Birmingham, and now London. The revival of these routes is expected to strengthen business, tourism, and cultural ties, while offering the Pakistani diaspora and international travellers a seamless journey.

Sold-out flight

All tickets for the inaugural Islamabad-London flight sold out, with return flights similarly fully booked. Passengers flying from Lahore to London will enjoy approximately eight hours of travel, along with PIA’s hallmark on-board hospitality, generous baggage allowance, and modern amenities.

With direct flights now linking Islamabad and Lahore to London, PIA is poised to reconnect communities, support tourism and trade, and offer travellers a faster, more comfortable gateway to the United Kingdom.

Privatisation

The relaunch comes in the wake of PIA’s privatisation, where a 75% stake was acquired by a consortium led by the Arif Habib Corporation for Rs135 billion. The consortium plans to expand the airline’s fleet to 64 aircraft, signalling a broader effort to modernise operations and strengthen international connectivity.