PIA seeks approval to lease Heathrow slots to Saudi Airlines for 2025
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LONDON:
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has formally requested Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), the global airport slot coordinator, to lease two of its London Heathrow slots to Saudi Airlines for the 2025 summer season, a spokesperson confirmed on Sunday.
The lease request follows PIA's ongoing restrictions in the UK and US, despite the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) lifting a four-year ban on the airline in November 2024. The ban was originally imposed in June 2020 over concerns about Pakistan's aviation safety standards, following a Karachi plane crash that killed 97 people and an investigation into pilot license irregularities.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Arab News that the airline has sought a "slot swap" from ACL, allowing Saudi Airlines to use the Heathrow slots from April 5 to October 25, 2025. The slots were previously leased to Vietnam Airlines, whose term expires in April.
Since facing European restrictions, PIA has used a "babysitting option" to retain its Heathrow slots by leasing them to Turkish Airlines, Saudi Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines. The airline previously held 10 Heathrow slots, with six leased to Turkish Airlines and two each to Saudia and Vietnam Airlines.
Although PIA has resumed flights to Europe, including a recent Islamabad-Paris service, it remains barred from 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. The UK Safety Review Board is set to decide on PIA's operational clearance in a meeting scheduled for March 12-13.
'If Pakistan receives permission to resume its own flights to the UK, we will gradually reclaim these slots for our own operations,' Khan stated.
Meanwhile, PIA continues to struggle with financial instability. The debt-ridden airline, which posted losses of $270 million in 2023 and holds liabilities nearing $3 billion, remains a key target for privatization by the Pakistani government. An earlier attempt to sell the airline fell through after a potential buyer offered significantly less than the asking price.
Officials hope that the reopening of European routes will pave the way for further operational recoveries, potentially leading to future expansion in the UK market.
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