After a long-awaited resumption of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to Europe, the national flag carrier once again took to the skies of Europe, with its first flight to Paris landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Friday.

The flight departed from Islamabad at 12.40 and became the only airline to offer a direct route to and from the EU.

The first flight, carrying 309 passengers, was sent off with pomp and circumstance at the Islamabad International Airport. Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, flanked by embassy staff and PIA officials, presided over the celebrations and cut a ceremonial ribbon and cake.

The minister hailed the occasion as “a historic day” that marked a new chapter for the airline. As a gesture of goodwill, Asif boarded the plane before take-off to say goodbye to the passengers.

According to a social media post by the Pakistan Embassy in France, PIA will now fly direct flights between Islamabad and Paris twice a week, on Fridays and Sundays.

Direct flights are expected to strengthen air connectivity between Pakistan and France, promoting increased people-to-people contact and trade and tourism opportunities.

Speaking at the event, the aviation minister recalled the golden era of PIA when it was a leader in global aviation. “There was a time when PIA helped other airlines find their feet. But unfortunately we became dependent on them to carry our passengers,” he lamented.

He lamented the period of decline, particularly the fallout from a parliamentary declaration that led to dire consequences, including the suspension of direct flights to Europe for over four years.

“Our overseas Pakistanis were unable to travel directly to their homeland, forced to take connecting flights via Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or other hubs, adding to travel costs and inconvenience,” he said.

He called the incident “a tragedy of lapse of accountability” and hailed the resumption of Paris flights as a step towards reclaiming PIA’s lost glory.

Asif thanked all stakeholders for their efforts to meet global aviation standards, paving the way for direct flights to France. He further announced plans to expand operations to UK and US in the coming days and expressed confidence that PIA would regain its esteemed status.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by PIA CEO Aamir Hayat, Secretary Aviation, DG Airport Authority Muhammad Shafi Dar and Airport Manager Aftab Gilani.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation on the departure of the first flight of PIA to Paris after restoration of the airline’s flight operations to Europe.

The prime minister said in a statement that restoration of PIA flights to Europe will facilitate overseas Pakistanis as they will benefit from the direct flights.

He noted that due to the suspension of flights, the national airline had to suffer huge losses worth billions of dollars and also had to lose its reputation.

“By the grace of Allah Almighty, the incumbent government has restored the identity of the national airlines,” the prime minister said.

After the restoration of flights to Europe, PIA will move towards new development and progress, he added.

In this regard, the Prime Minister said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, the relevant departments and their officers and staff deserved appreciation.

Plans underway to expand operations

Meanwhile, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan also celebrated the day as historic but stressed the need for sustained efforts to restore the airline’s past prestige.

He announced that while the initial schedule includes two weekly flights to Europe, there were plans to expand operations in response to high passenger demand.

Flights to additional European destinations are being explored as part of PIA’s broader revival strategy, he said.

“This is my first time traveling with PIA,” said passenger Shumaila Rana, a 38-year-old school teacher based in Germany. “I’m nervous and have a lot of anxiety, but I hope it will be a good flight.”

Debt-ridden PIA was banned from flying to the EU, UK and US in June 2020, a month after one of its Airbus A-320s crashed into a Karachi street, killing nearly 100 people.

The disaster was attributed to human error by the pilots and air traffic control and was followed by claims that almost a third of the licenses of its pilots were fake or dubious.

In 2016, a PIA plane burst into flames after one of its two turboprop engines failed during a flight from the far north to Islamabad, killing more than 40 people.

In November, the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency announced it had lifted the ban, but it remains banned from flying in the UK and US.

At the time, it said it had “restored sufficient confidence” in the oversight capacity of Pakistan’s civil aviation authorities.

The airline flies to several cities inland, including the mountainous north, as well as to the Gulf and Southeast Asia.

PIA, which employs 7,000 people, has long been accused of being bloated and poorly run – hampered by unpaid bills, a poor safety record and regulatory problems.

The government has said it is committed to privatizing the debt-ridden airline and has struggled to find a buyer.

Late last year, a deal fell through after a potential buyer reportedly offered a fraction of the asking price.

The government hopes the opening of European routes, which officials expect will be followed by a similar announcement from Britain later this year, will boost its sales potential.

PIA had losses of $270 million by 2023. Its liabilities were nearly $3 billion, about five times the total value of its assets.

That same year, in the midst of a national economic crisis, dozens of domestic flights were canceled as it could not afford fuel for its planes.

PIA came into existence in 1955 when the government nationalized a loss-making commercial airline and enjoyed rapid growth until the 1990s.

(With input from AFP)