Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will restore a non-stop link between Islamabad and Birmingham from 1 December, operating the route three times per week using a Boeing 777-200ER, the carrier has said. The relaunch forms part of a wider redeployment of PIA capacity to the United Kingdom this winter.
Capacity changes and fleet arrangements
PIA intends to use wet-leased Boeing 787 aircraft sourced from Norse Atlantic Airways to bolster its London and Manchester services over the winter season. The carrier says those 787s will free up its owned 777-200 aircraft currently serving Manchester and London Heathrow, enabling PIA to put its own 777-200ER on the Islamabad–Birmingham rotation.
- Service frequency for Islamabad–Birmingham: three times weekly.
- Aircraft on Islamabad–Birmingham: Boeing 777-200ER.
- Wet-leased aircraft for UK winter: Boeing 787 from Norse Atlantic for London and Manchester operations.
Market and network context
There are currently no nonstop services between Islamabad and Birmingham. PIA previously served the route before 2020 and has operated occasional wet-leased flights to Birmingham since its suspension of scheduled UK services in 2020, most recently using a wet-leased Airbus A330-200 from Jordan Aviation until November 2022.
An aviation analyst cited by the report noted that PIA held a strong share of the market in 2019; in that year it achieved a 74% market share on the route. Since PIA’s suspension, Emirates and Turkish Airlines have emerged as market leaders from the UK to Pakistan, holding approximately 41% and 29% shares respectively, according to the analyst quoted in the announcement. The analyst suggested that direct non-stop services will be valued by the route’s predominantly Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) traffic.
Operational notes
The relaunch is scheduled for the winter season. The Islamabad outbound will operate in daytime with an overnight return service, according to the carrier’s published schedule details. PIA’s reinstatement of a thrice-weekly non-stop will complement its existing UK services to Manchester and London Heathrow.
| Carrier | Origin | Destination | Start date | Weekly frequency | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan International Airlines | Islamabad | Birmingham | 1 December | 3 | Boeing 777-200ER |
PIA will also increase its presence at London Heathrow and Manchester by operating wet-leased 787s this winter, while reallocating its own 777-200 frames as part of the network adjustments.
The carrier’s return to Birmingham follows a period in which PIA’s scheduled UK services were halted in 2020. PIA has used wet-leased equipment intermittently on UK routes since then, and the announced winter plan indicates a partial restoration of the airline’s pre-pandemic UK frequencies.
