The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted a ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from operating flights to Europe.
The clearance was granted on Friday after the agency concluded that the Pakistani carrier meets the required safety standards.
PIA has not flown to Europe since June 2020 when EASA ordered the suspension amid concerns over its compliance with aviation safety standards.
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At the time, the Pakistani government had opened an investigation into the airline over pilot licenses after a PIA Airbus A320 crash killed 97 people in May 2020.
The country’s flag carrier has a fleet of 32 aircraft, including 17 A320s, 12 Boeing 777s and three ATR 72s, but only half of them are believed to be in service.
The current network of flights mainly covers domestic and Middle Eastern destinations. Only Beijing, Kuala Lumpur and Toronto are listed as long-haul routes.
The Pakistani government welcomed the decision, which should help Pakistan International’s privatization plans amid ongoing losses
