Business Desk 
Jul 19, 2025
Pakistan’s private airline Airblue is preparing to reintroduce direct flights to the UK, ending a five-year hiatus. The airline has formally lodged an application with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to start operating flights from Islamabad to Manchester, according to sources.
The airline anticipates being able to start flights as early as August, depending on approval processes by British aviation authorities.
This announcement comes shortly after the UK government removed Pakistan from the air safety block list that was imposed on Pakistani airlines in October 2020.
Having imposed the ban over safety concerns on Pakistani carriers in 2020, a decision which created an ordeal for thousands of travelers, this lifting has been positively received, particularly by the Pakistani diaspora in the UK, who have been waiting for direct travel options to be resumed.
Airblue will be the first private airline from Pakistan to offer direct flights between Islamabad and Manchester.
Reportedly, it is believed that the return of the direct UK route to an airline in Pakistan will also introduce more competition in the market, which could lead to lower fares, better services and more travel options for travellers.
The British High Commission in Islamabad confirmed the UK's decision to lift the ban, with High Commissioner Jane Marriott praising the efforts of both countries' aviation teams. “I look forward to travelling with Pakistani airlines,” she said.
