ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has formally requested the Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), the world’s leading airport slot coordinator, to grant lease of its two London Heathrow slots to Saudi Airlines for 2025, a PIA spokesperson said on Sunday.
Pakistan was forced 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 due to concerns about the South Asian country’s ability to comply with international aviation standards.
The suspension, followed by restrictions from the UK and US authorities, came after an investigation into the validity of pilots’ licenses following a deadly PIA plane crash in Karachi that killed 97 people. In Nov. 2024, EASA lifted the ban and allowed PIA to resume flights, and the airline last month resumed Europe operations, with a flight from Islamabad to Paris.
“PIA has formally requested a slot swap with the ACL for its London Heathrow operations in summer 2025 to lease two returning slots from Vietnam Airlines to Saudi Airlines from April 5 till October 25,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Arab News.
When PIA first faced restrictions from the EU, the national flag carrier used the “babysitting option” to preserve its slots by leasing them to Turkish Airlines, Saudi Airlines and Vietnam Airlines, according to the PIA spokesperson.
“We took this step to preserve our slots as securing slots at Heathrow Airport is extremely difficult and PIA had 10 slots, which we leased to three airlines, six to Turkish Airlines and two each to Saudia and Vietnam Airlines,” he said, adding 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, which will have a total of four PIA slots at Heathrow for the next summer season.”
While PIA has resumed Europe operations, the debt-ridden airline remains barred from operating flights to the UK and the US.
Last month, a delegation of the UK’s Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority visited Pakistan to examine aviation safety protocols, review documentation, evaluate operational procedures, and airlines to assess compliance with international standards, according to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). Based on the team’s report, the UK Safety Review Board will decide on the possibility of restarting PIA operations in the country during its meeting on March 12-13.
“Once Pakistan receives permission to resume its own flights to the UK, we will gradually reclaim these slots for our own operations,” Khan said.
Pakistan had grounded 262 of its 860 pilots, including 141 of PIA’s 434, whose licenses were deemed “dubious.” The investigation ultimately did not reveal any major concerns but the suspension remained in place.
Pakistan’s government has said it is committed to privatizing the debt-ridden airline and has been scrambling to find a buyer. Late last year, a deal fell through after a potential buyer reportedly offered a fraction of the asking price.
PIA posted losses of $270 million in 2023, according to local media. Its liabilities were nearly $3 billion, about five times the total worth of its assets.
The government hopes the opening of European routes, which officials expect will be followed by a similar announcement by the UK later this year, will boost PIA’s selling potential.