Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has confirmed it will resume direct flights between Lahore and London Heathrow on 30 March 2026, marking a significant milestone in the national carrier’s return to the UK market.
The announcement comes as part of a phased re-entry into British skies following the lifting of a long-term ban by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in July 2025. The Lahore service will complement the airline’s previously announced Islamabad-to-London route, which is scheduled to restart just one day earlier, on 29 March.
The resumption of the Lahore (LHE) to London Heathrow (LHR) route is a crucial development for the airline, which has seen its UK operations restricted since 2020. According to the latest schedule filings:
- Frequency: The Lahore–London service will initially operate once weekly on Mondays.
- Aircraft: PIA will deploy its Boeing 777-200ER widebody aircraft on the route, offering significant belly-hold cargo capacity alongside passenger seating.
- Terminal: Flights are expected to operate out of Heathrow’s Terminal 4.
Combined with the three weekly flights from Islamabad, PIA will offer a total of four weekly frequencies to London Heathrow by the end of March 2026. This adds to the airline’s existing three-times-weekly service to Manchester, which successfully relaunched in late 2025.
The carrier was barred from UK and EU airspace in June 2020 following a tragic crash in Karachi and a subsequent scandal regarding pilot licensing. The road back has required rigorous safety audits and institutional reforms overseen by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
The UK’s Air Safety Committee removed Pakistan from its “Air Safety List” last summer, acknowledging “significant improvements” in the country’s aviation oversight. For PIA, the return to Heathrow—where it has reclaimed slots previously leased to Turkish Airlines—is essential for its financial health. Historically, the UK has been the airline’s most profitable international market due to the 1.6 million people of Pakistani heritage living in Britain.
This expansion coincides with the airline’s high-stakes privatisation. In December 2025, a consortium led by the Arif Habib Group acquired a 75% stake in the carrier for Rs135 billion (£385 million). The new management has pledged to modernise the fleet and improve service standards to compete with Middle Eastern “ME3” carriers (Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad) which have dominated the UK-Pakistan corridor during PIA’s absence.
A PIA spokesperson stated: “The relaunch of London services from both Islamabad and Lahore is a proud moment for the national flag carrier. We are responding to the high demand from the diaspora and are committed to restoring our legacy as a bridge between the two nations.”