Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has carried 104,845 passengers on its direct Manchester flights to Islamabad and Lahore. Manchester Airport announced the figures as Pakistan’s flag carrier marked a year since restoring direct service to the northern UK hub. The two routes also carried 1,541 tonnes of cargo.
PIA Doubles Manchester-Islamabad Flights
PIA launched its Manchester-Islamabad service on 25 October 2025. The route marked the airline’s return to Britain after a five-year suspension. A Boeing 777 operated the first flight from Islamabad to Manchester. The airline added its direct Lahore service in July 2026.
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The Islamabad route began with two flights a week. PIA doubled the frequency in response to demand. Flights now leave Manchester for Islamabad on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The Lahore service runs once a week, on Wednesdays.
Manchester Routes Carry 1,541 Tonnes of Cargo
The UK received 1,412 tonnes of cargo on the two routes. Another 129 tonnes went from Manchester to Pakistan. Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, pharmaceuticals, clothing and fabrics ranked among the largest import categories by volume. Manchester Airport said the cargo traffic generated millions for the northern economy.
The routes also serve a large Pakistani diaspora. More than 300,000 British Pakistanis lived in northern England, according to 2021 figures cited by the airport. Manchester and Bradford had significant concentrations.
Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe said the routes connect families, support economic development and help attract investment. He pointed to the airport’s decade-long, £1.5 billion investment in Terminal 2 as a basis for expanding its network. “Our direct links to Pakistan with PIA encapsulate all of these different strands of connection and the vital role the airport plays in that,” he said.
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Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South and Walkden, chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pakistan. She said the direct flights made trips cheaper and more convenient for British Pakistanis. “I’m delighted to see that this service has been so successful and that flights have increased, allowing families to have more choice over when they travel,” she said.
Afzal Khan CBE, MP for Manchester Rusholme, chairs the Greater Manchester Pakistan Forum. “Even though the flight path has only been open a year it has already proven to be a massive success for our region,” he said. Khan said more than 350,000 people in North West England fly from the UK to Islamabad each year. He cited family visits, trips to see friends and business travel. He said the route had benefited local communities and boosted the regional economy.
Khan’s estimate refers to travel from the UK to Islamabad. The airport’s 104,845 figure covers PIA passengers on both Manchester routes combined.
