Karachi: Pakistan International Airlines on Tuesday announced that it will resume flights to London from March 29, 2026, ending a six-year suspension of its UK capital route.
According to an airline spokesperson, PIA will operate four flights per week from Islamabad to London, with services landing at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4. The resumption of London operations will add to passenger convenience, as the national carrier currently operates three weekly flights to Manchester.
The announcement follows reports last week that PIA had secured approval for four weekly flight slots at Heathrow Airport. During the suspension of PIA’s UK operations, the slots had been temporarily allocated to Turkish Airlines to ensure they were not forfeited. With restrictions now easing, the airline has formally informed Heathrow authorities of its decision to restart London flights from March 2026.
The development comes in the backdrop of PIA’s privatisation, under which a 75% stake in the airline was sold to a consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation for Rs135 billion. Following the acquisition, the consortium announced plans to expand PIA’s fleet to 64 aircraft in phases.
Fauji Fertiliser Company Limited has also joined the Arif Habib-led consortium, and is expected to contribute financial support, corporate expertise and participation in the airline’s management structure as part of the turnaround plan.
