Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and low-cost carrier Airblue have been cleared to restart direct services to the United Kingdom after a ban imposed in 2020 and lifted in September 2025 (read more about the ban here). The return of PIA UK flights and Airblue UK flights restores direct links for one of Pakistan’s busiest international routes, with PIA UK routes boost ahead of IMF privatisation expected to strengthen the carrier’s value.
Airblue UK Flights Take the Lead
Airblue was the first Pakistani airline to secure a Third Country Operator license from the UK Department for Transport. The airline will launch flights from Islamabad to Leeds via Istanbul in November using Airbus 320 and A321 fleet. Manchester will follow, and talks are underway to secure landing rights at Heathrow.
Analysts say this gives Airblue UK flights a head start in re-establishing the UK-Pakistan aviation market.
During the five-year ban, airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines expanded their share of the UK–Pakistan market, serving passengers through their hubs in Dubai, Doha and Istanbul. The suspension left hundreds of thousands of Pakistani travellers dependent on these connecting services.
Airblue’s entry is expected to increase competition, giving seeking travellers more choice and potentially lowering flights fare in those routes.
PIA UK routes boost ahead of IMF privatisation
Meanwhile, PIA UK flights to Manchester are set to re-launch in October 2025, followed by Birmingham and London. The flag carrier also secured a five-year Air Cargo Carrier 3 certification, allowing freight shipments from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad to Britain until 2030. The certification is expected to strengthen trade links, particularly for exports of textiles, produce and IT equipment. Bilateral trade between the UK and Pakistan was estimated to approximately £4.7 billion annually prior to the ban.
PIA UK routes boost ahead of IMF privatisation as the Pakistan government proceeds with the sale of Pakistan International Airlines, a key part of its $7 billion IMF bailout program.The government is seeking to divest its stake to address persistent losses and reduce national financial burden.
Earlier this month, PIA reported its first pre-tax profit in 20 years. The profit for Q1 and Q2 of 2025 was $40.6 million. This was primarily achieved through the government taking a significant portion of PIA’s legacy debt. Analysts noted that PIA UK flights boost ahead of IMF privatisation could make the carrier more attractive to domestic bidders such as Airblue, Lucky Cement, Arif Habib and Fauji Fertilizer.
As Pakistan International Airlines resumes UK flights and Airbus re-entering the market, passengers regain vital direct links to Britain. For Pakistan aviation sector, the relaunch marks both an economic opportunity and a test of renewed international trust. Follow Travel Radar for more updates on global aviation developments.
