Islamabad, Feb 17: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has officially approached Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), the global authority on airport slot management, to lease two of its London Heathrow slots to Saudi Airlines for the summer of 2025, a PIA spokesperson confirmed.
PIA has faced challenges in maintaining its slots at key European airports since the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended its operations in June 2020. The suspension, prompted by concerns over pilot license verification following a tragic PIA plane crash in Karachi that claimed 97 lives, led to restrictions by the UK and US aviation regulators as well.
EASA lifted the ban in November 2024, permitting PIA to resume flights to Europe. The airline restarted operations last month, launching a flight from Islamabad to Paris.
According to PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan, the airline has requested ACL to facilitate a slot swap for Heathrow operations in summer 2025. The arrangement involves leasing two returning slots from Vietnam Airlines to Saudi Airlines for the period of April 5 to October 25. Initially, when the European restrictions were imposed, PIA secured its Heathrow slots through a “babysitting” strategy—leasing them out to Turkish Airlines, Saudi Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines to retain access to the highly sought-after airport.
Read More:
Saudi Riyal to Pakistani Rupee Exchange Rate for February 17
“In the past, we leased six slots to Turkish Airlines, and two each to Saudi Airlines and Vietnam Airlines,” Khan explained. “With the Vietnam Airlines lease expiring on April 5, these two slots will now be allocated to Saudi Airlines, bringing their total leased slots from PIA at Heathrow to four for the next summer season.”
Despite resuming European operations, PIA remains restricted from flying to the UK and the US. Last month, a delegation from the UK’s Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority visited Pakistan to review aviation safety protocols and assess documentation and operational procedures. The findings will be presented to the UK Safety Review Board, which will decide on the potential resumption of PIA flights to the UK in its upcoming meeting on March 12-13.
“If Pakistan secures approval to restart UK flights, we will gradually reclaim these slots for our own operations,” Khan stated.
Previously, Pakistan suspended 262 out of 860 pilots, including 141 from PIA, due to concerns over license authenticity. While the investigation did not reveal major discrepancies, the ban remained in place. The government is actively working on privatizing PIA and seeking investors. Last year, a potential deal fell through after an investor offered significantly less than the asking price.
PIA reported losses of $270 million in 2023, with liabilities approaching $3 billion—nearly five times its total asset value. Officials believe that reopening European routes and a potential UK announcement later this year could enhance the airline’s appeal to investors.
