PIA set to resume direct flights to USA after a final inspection expected to take place in March.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is preparing to restart direct flights to the United States (US). According to reports, the airline is hopeful about this revival as a delegation from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to visit Pakistan in mid-March for a final clearance inspection.
A five-member team from the FAA will evaluate Pakistan’s aviation standards to determine whether the country qualifies for Category 1 status, a necessary requirement for resuming direct flights to the US.
Sources indicate that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has already been signed for the resumption of direct flights between Pakistan and the US.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is actively working to restore Category 1 status, which was downgraded to Category 2 following a ban on Pakistani flights by European and UK aviation authorities.
Direct flights between Pakistan and the US were halted in 2017. Before the suspension, PIA operated six weekly flights to the US, including four to New York and two to Chicago. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif recently announced that PIA is set to resume direct flights to the United Kingdom (UK) by the end of February.
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