Non-procurement of TCO licence prevents direct flights of Pakistani airlines to UK

Uncertainty surrounds the start of direct flights of Pakistani airlines to the UK, and the concerned officials are unable to give an exact date when direct flights between the two countries will become operational, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday. 

Sources told the 24News TV channel that despite the fact that one month had passed since the UK’s DTF lifted the ban on the operation of Pakistani airlines’ flights, the procurement of a third-country operation (TCO) license had emerged as a major stumbling block.  

On the other hand, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the PIA and private airlines continued to pass on the responsibility of obtaining the license on each other’s shoulders, sources said, adding that as per the CAA’s viewpoint, it was the airlines’ responsibility to obtain the license, while, on the other hand, the airlines said that it was the CAA’s job.

However, the spokesman for the PIA has said that the schedule for the flights to the UK would be announced once the permission was formally granted. 

The private airlines, on the other hand, have said that they have completed the arrangements and the only thing they were waiting for the license. 

Earlier, different dates were given for the start of flights. 

Initially, it was said that the flights would resume on August 14 or August 16, while later it was said that they would start in the first week of September. 

But so far, flights have not resumed.  

Reporter: Tayyab Saif