UAE

Life and Living

World

Opinion

Business

Sports

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Travel

Reviews

Brands

Supplements

KT Events

KT APPDOWNLOAD

Type your keywords

Pakistan: PIA flight departs for Paris after EU lifts 4-year ban

The national carrier's operations in the EU were suspended in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities to ensure compliance with international aviation standards

Read more...
Photo: Reuters file

By AFP

Published: Fri 10 Jan 2025, 12:11 PM

Last updated: Fri 10 Jan 2025, 12:12 PM

Pakistan's state-owned airline, plagued by a history of deadly crashes and a pilot licence scandal, resumed flights to Europe on Friday after a four-year ban was lifted by EU regulators.

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight took off from Islamabad airport around 1240pm (0740 GMT) heading for Paris, AFP journalists saw, becoming the only carrier to offer a direct route to and from the EU.

PIA's authorisation to operate in the EU was suspended in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority to ensure compliance with international aviation standards.

Advertising
Advertising

The ban was put in place a month after one of its aircraft plunged into a street in the southern city of Karachi, killing nearly 100 people.

The disaster was attributed to human error by the pilots and air traffic control, and was followed by allegations that nearly a third of the licences for its pilots were fake or dubious.

The airline remains banned from operating in the US.

After Europe's ban was lifted in December 2024, a spokesman for the carrier said they would "strictly adhere to EASA's regulations and guidelines", referring to the EU's aviation authority.

(With inputs from Reuters)

ALSO READ:

AFP

Published: Fri 10 Jan 2025, 12:11 PM

Last updated: Fri 10 Jan 2025, 12:12 PM

Recommended for you