Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan · PAKISTAN · Active
Airline Identity
History
Pakistan International Airlines descends from Orient Airways, founded 29 October 1946, which was merged into the newly created, majority state-owned Pakistan International Airlines Corporation that began operations in 1955 as the country's flag carrier. PIA operated for decades as a fully state-owned enterprise and built an extensive domestic and international network, but it suffered chronic financial losses, aging fleet issues, and reputational damage from a 2020 fake-pilot-licenses scandal that led the EU's aviation safety agency (EASA) to ban PIA flights to Europe for roughly four years (the ban was lifted in late 2024). After a long-running privatization effort, the Pakistani government sold a 75% controlling stake in PIA to an Arif Habib Corporation-led consortium in a public auction in December 2025 for about 135 billion rupees (roughly $482 million).
Current Operations
As of 2026, PIA continues to operate under its own name and brand out of its main base at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi (KHI), with secondary hubs at Islamabad and Lahore, running a fleet of roughly 32 aircraft. Ownership has shifted from a purely state-run model to majority private control: the Arif Habib-led consortium holds 75% of the airline following the December 2025 sale, with the Government of Pakistan retaining a 25% minority stake, and the new owners have signaled plans to significantly expand and modernize the fleet. The transition of operational control and further ownership details were still being finalized in 2026, so PIA's post-privatization strategy remains a developing situation.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.