Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has formally requested Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), the world’s leading airport slot coordinator, to lease two of its London Heathrow slots to Saudi Airlines for the summer of 2025, a PIA spokesperson confirmed on Sunday.
Pakistan had to lease out its slots at European airports after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended PIA’s authorization to operate in the bloc in June 2020 over concerns about the country’s adherence to international aviation standards. The ban, followed by restrictions from UK and US authorities, was imposed after an inquiry into pilot license validity in the wake of a deadly PIA plane crash in Karachi that claimed 97 lives.
EASA lifted the ban in November 2024, allowing PIA to resume flights to Europe. The airline restarted operations last month with a flight from Islamabad to Paris.
“PIA has formally requested ACL to facilitate a slot swap for its London Heathrow operations in the summer of 2025, leasing two returning slots from Vietnam Airlines to Saudi Airlines from April 5 to October 25,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Arab News.
When the EU restrictions were first imposed, PIA used the “babysitting option” to retain its Heathrow slots by leasing them to Turkish Airlines, Saudi Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines.
“To preserve our slots, we leased six to Turkish Airlines and two each to Saudi Airlines and Vietnam Airlines,” Khan explained, noting that obtaining slots at Heathrow is extremely difficult. He added that the lease is renewed every six months.
“With Vietnam Airlines’ lease for these two slots ending on April 5, we have now allocated them to Saudi Airlines, giving them a total of four PIA slots at Heathrow for the next summer season.”
Despite resuming flights to Europe, PIA remains barred from operating in the UK and US.
Last month, a delegation from the UK’s Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority visited Pakistan to assess aviation safety protocols, review documentation, and evaluate operational procedures. The findings will be reviewed by the UK Safety Review Board, which will decide on the potential resumption of PIA flights to the UK during its meeting on March 12-13.
“Once Pakistan gets approval to resume its own flights to the UK, we will gradually reclaim these slots for our operations,” Khan stated.
Pakistan previously grounded 262 of its 860 pilots, including 141 of PIA’s 434, over “dubious” licenses. Although the investigation did not uncover major concerns, the suspension remained in effect.
The Pakistani government has expressed its commitment to privatizing the financially struggling airline and has been seeking potential buyers. A deal fell through late last year after a buyer reportedly offered only a fraction of the asking price.
PIA posted losses of $270 million in 2023, with liabilities nearing $3 billion—almost five times its total asset value. Officials hope that reopening European routes, and a possible UK announcement later this year, will enhance PIA’s market appeal for potential investors.
