PIA to resume direct London flights from March 2026

PIA had announced the expansion of flights to the UK on Thursday with direct London operations, set to resume from March 2026, next year.

Earlier, IA had continued its operations in Manchester after a five-year ban was lifted by Britain, which allowed the Pakistani airlines to resume the flights. 

However, PIA wins approval for four weekly Heathrow slots that were temporarily used by Turkish Airlines during the suspension of its UK operations.

Airport slots were kept active by assigning them to Turkish Airlines, ensuring that they remain valid. Once the suspension period is over, the airline can reclaim and use the slots again. This arrangement was primarily designed to provide a protective measure, safeguarding the airline’s future access to Heathrow.

Therefore, the carrier has formally informed Heathrow by sending a written letter of its decision to restart the flights from March 2026.

The development comes two days after a consortium headed by the Arif Habib Corporation emerged as the top bidder for a 75% stake in PIA.

The Arif Habib-led consortium secured a 75% stake in PIA by offering Rs135 billion during a live-televised auction held on Tuesday, exceeding the government’s reserve price of Rs100 billion.

The successful bid marked a breakthrough in the government’s long-running efforts to privatise the loss-making airline after a previous attempt failed last year.

Also read: Arif Habib group expresses interest in buying remaining stake in PIA