A team from the United Kingdom is reviewing the safety systems of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), The Express Tribune has reported.

The review places PIA's operational safety framework under external scrutiny at a sensitive moment for the carrier. Pakistan's flag airline has faced persistent restrictions in European airspace since 2020, when the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended PIA's third-country operator authorisation following a licensing scandal in Pakistan that called pilot credentials into question.

The UK review, as reported by The Express Tribune, covers the airline's safety systems rather than a single aircraft type or route. The scope and duration of the assessment have not been disclosed, and the publication did not name the specific UK body conducting it. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has historically aligned its decisions on Pakistani carriers with EASA's position on Pakistani aviation oversight.

For PIA, the stakes are commercial as much as regulatory. The airline's access to UK airports — historically among its most valuable international markets, served by routes to Birmingham, London, Manchester and Leeds Bradford before the suspension — depends on demonstrating that its safety management systems meet the standards required of foreign operators.

The review's outcome could also carry weight beyond the UK. A favourable assessment by British specialists would strengthen PIA's case for a full restoration of EASA privileges, which the EU agency partially eased in late 2023 by permitting PIA to operate limited flights to European destinations. A negative finding would reinforce the existing constraints on the carrier's long-haul network.

The Express Tribune report did not specify a timeline for conclusions from the UK team, and neither PIA nor Pakistani regulators have publicly detailed the terms of reference for the review. The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan and PIA management have previously framed external audits as part of the airline's effort to rebuild international confidence in its operations.

Pending the results, PIA's European capacity remains capped at the levels permitted since 2023, and its ability to expand UK services will depend on the findings now being compiled by the visiting team.