PIA Europe, UK flight ban likely to be lifted soon

In mid-May, the European Safety Agency (EASA) Safety Review Board will convene a meeting to discuss the potential lifting of restrictions on Pakistan International Airline (PIA) planes in Europe and UK, ARY News reported on Monday.

During the meeting, EASA will presented the audits reports of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and PIA which was conducted by the EASA team back in November 2023.

These audits covered areas such as licensing, flight safety, airworthiness, air transport, PIA’s safety management system, flight standards, engineering sector, and other critical areas.

READ: UK denies to lift ban on PIA flights

Following the successful assessment (inspection) of the European safety agency, the flights of Pakistani airline, PIA, are likely to resume in Europe and UK.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PIA had completed the targets given by the European Safety Agency (ESA) before the given deadline.

The route to Europe and UK is vital for PIA as it contributes significantly to its revenue.

Since July 2020, all Pakistani airlines, including PIA, have been restricted from flying to Europe and Britain, but the possibility of this changing is now being explored.

Earlier, the ban imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight operations is expected to be lifted soon.

According to the details, the Director General of Civil Aviation chaired a 43rd E-Kachehri on Monday, in which it was hoped that a positive update regarding the lifting of the ban may emerge by May.

The E-Kachehri was informed that a comprehensive policy on drones will be finalised soon. A policy document on drone policy is being prepared which will be available on the PCAA website when finalised.

Accountability in air accidents has specific procedures and requirements that must be followed.