British Airways will resume flights between London Heathrow Airport and Islamabad International Airport beginning in summer 2019. Service will start on June 2, operating three times a week with a three-class Boeing 787 Dreamliner and connecting directly to the new Islamabad airport.
British Airways originally served Islamabad from 1976 until 2008, when the carrier suspended the route following a suicide bombing at a Marriott hotel that caused significant loss of life and many injuries, including several British citizens.
With this relaunch, BA becomes the first Western carrier to restore scheduled flights to Islamabad. Currently, Pakistan International Airlines remains the only carrier offering non-stop service from Pakistan to the United Kingdom, flying to Manchester (MAN), Birmingham (BHX) and Heathrow.
Robert Williams, head of sales for Asia Pacific and the Middle East at British Airways, said the reinstated service will be especially popular with the British Pakistani community, facilitating visits and family reunions. He added that customers can expect a high-quality experience on the route, both because it will be operated with BA’s modern long-haul Boeing 787 Dreamliner and because it will serve Islamabad’s new airport, which opened earlier in the year.