U.S. ready to resume direct flights to Pakistan after five years: Sufi

Khalid Umar Malik
01 Aug 2022, 17:36 GMT+10

According to U.S. media reports on Saturday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may upgrade Pakistan's safety rating to Category 1, allowing direct flights from Pakistani airports.
There have been no direct flights between the two countries since 2017 when the FAA downgraded Pakistan to Category 2 due to safety concerns.
According to Simple Flying, a niche aviation news site, the FAA will soon send inspectors to Pakistan to assess the country's airports and aircraft.

WASHINGTON DC, USA - According to U.S. media reports on Saturday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may upgrade Pakistan's safety rating to Category 1, allowing direct flights from Pakistani airports.

There have been no direct flights between the two countries since 2017 when the FAA downgraded Pakistan to Category 2 due to safety concerns.

According to Simple Flying, a niche aviation news site, the FAA will soon send inspectors to Pakistan to assess the country's airports and aircraft. The FAA is the U.S. government's largest transportation agency, regulating all aspects of civil aviation.

"There is a good chance Pakistan will receive a Category 1 rating if the country's aviation sector passes the test," Simple Flying reported.

Salman Sufi, Head of Prime Minister's Strategic Reforms, met with U.S. officials in Washington earlier this week to discuss the possibility of opening up direct flight access for Pakistan.

Following the meeting, Sufi told the Pakistani media that the U.S. side "conveyed its readiness to have technical discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant departments, as well as to undertake necessary visits for the resumption of direct flights."

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