Karachi:
A team from the American Federal Aviation (FAA) should visit Pakistan in March to assess the feasibility of resuming direct flights between Pakistan and the United States.
In preparation for the visit, Islamabad has already paid the costs required of $ 75,000, sources revealed.
Direct flights from Pakistan in the United States to be suspended in 2017 and the efforts to restore it were faced with reverse ones due to the Pandemic COVID-19 and the PIA 2020 plane crash in Karachi.
Following the banning of the European Union on the national carrier, the FAA demoted the Pakistan aerior security rating from category CA1 to CA2 category, further delaying the resumption of flights.
During the COVVI-19 crisis, Pakistan obtained a special authorization to operate 12 flights on humanitarian land in the United States, seven of which were successfully carried out.
To open the way to the resumption of flights, the PIA and the PCAA have taken various measures to respond to safety and regulatory concerns. The team of five FAA members is expected to carry out a preliminary assessment in March, marking a crucial step towards the restoration of the Pakistan aviation rating. In addition, the authorization of the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be required before theft can officially resume.
If the restrictions are lifted, the PIA should restore direct flights to major American cities, including New York, Chicago and Houston. In the past, PIA has exploited its American flights via Manchester, but efforts are now focused on the establishment of non-stop connectivity.
