Dhaka, Sept. 25 -- Pakistan's national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and private airline Airblue will resume direct flights to the United Kingdom after receiving international safety and security clearances, marking their return to one of Pakistan's most important air travel markets for the first time in five years.

The UK Department for Transport has granted both carriers Third Country Operator (TCO) status, a requirement for non-European airlines operating in Britain. The move follows extensive safety audits and comes after the UK lifted restrictions on Pakistani airlines in July 2025, imposed after the 2020 PIA Airbus A320 crash in Karachi that killed 97 people.

The crash triggered a government inquiry that uncovered ...