LAHORE: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced it will discontinue its Lahore–Paris flights next month, restricting its Paris operations solely to Islamabad.
According to airline officials, the final Paris–Lahore flight will operate on September 12, while the last Lahore–Paris departure is scheduled for September 17. PIA’s spokesperson confirmed that services on the Islamabad–Paris route will continue without disruption.
The decision comes just three months after the national carrier resumed twice-weekly Lahore–Paris flights on June 18. Officials linked the suspension to fleet constraints, as the airline prepares aircraft for its planned UK operations. Out of PIA’s twelve Boeing 777 aircraft, seven remain grounded, sources disclosed. The wide-body jets are also heavily deployed on high-demand routes to Saudi Arabia and Toronto.
The development follows Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry’s statement in the Senate last week that the European Union had lifted its ban on PIA, clearing the way for renewed services to Paris and other European destinations. The minister had noted that route suspensions in recent years—including Islamabad–Paris, Lahore–Baku, and several Gulf connections—were the result of either regulatory restrictions or commercial adjustments.
Lawmakers had also voiced concern over recent operational setbacks, including a 55-hour delay of flight PK-734 in Paris earlier this month. Dr. Chaudhry said the disruption was caused by a mechanical fault and emphasized that route decisions were guided by demand, profitability, and available aircraft.
With Lahore flights now suspended, Paris-bound passengers will be accommodated solely through Islamabad until further notice.
