ISLAMABAD: The prospects of resuming direct flights between Pakistan and the United States have recently become more promising. To assess the measures needed for the reinstatement of these flights, a team from the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is scheduled to arrive in Karachi this Saturday.
According to sources within the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), this marks the first time in several years that an FAA team is visiting Pakistan. During their visit, the FAA officials will conduct safety audits of Pakistan’s aviation sector, which will include inspections of aircraft maintenance, pilot licensing, flight standards, and other related areas. They will also visit Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad airports.
For Pakistani airlines to operate direct flights to the US, they must obtain Category One status. Both the Pakistan CAA and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are optimistic that, following successful safety audits, direct flights to the US could potentially resume from the upcoming year.
It is noteworthy that PIA’s flights to the US have been suspended since October 2017 due to concerns over flight safety. Prior to the ban, PIA flights from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad operated via Manchester to New York.
