Islamabad : Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has resumed flight services between Islamabad and Paris starting Friday, January 10, 2025, following the European Union’s decision to lift restrictions on the airline.
“Paris, we’re coming today. Resuming flights between Islamabad and Paris from January 10, 2025,” the national carrier shared on the social media platform X( Twitter) on Friday.
The flag carrier will operate two direct flights per week to Paris.
This move comes after the European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) lifted the suspension on PIA last year, allowing the airline to resume operations to Europe.
The decision followed a visit by EASA and the European Commission to Pakistan a year earlier.
EASA had suspended PIA’s permission to operate in Europe after Pakistan began investigating the authenticity of pilots’ licenses following a tragic crash that claimed 97 lives.
The ban resulted in an annual revenue loss of nearly Rs 40 billion ($143.73 million), as reported by Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervaiz Malik in June 2024.
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PIA holds a 23% share of Pakistan’s domestic aviation market, but with a fleet of 34 planes, it struggles to compete with Middle Eastern carriers, which dominate with a 60% market share, largely due to the absence of direct flights, despite having agreements with 87 countries and key landing slots.
The government’s efforts to privatize the airline were unsuccessful when it received only one bid, which was well below the asking price.
Last month, Minister for Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan remarked that PIA’s return to European routes is a very positive step.
