PIA Leases London Heathrow Slots to Saudia for Summer 2025

[Karachi Aviator]

LONDON- The Pakistani flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PK) or PIA has submitted a formal slot swap request to Airport Coordination Limited (ACL) for its London Heathrow Airport (LHR) operations during the Summer 2025 season.

The arrangement involves leasing slots to Saudi Airlines (SV) between April 5 and October 25, 2025.

The proposed swap affects PK’s existing arrival slot at 1335 hours and departure slot at 1600 hours, operated by a 393-seat Boeing 777 aircraft serving the Lahore and Karachi routes. These slots will transfer to Saudia’s operations utilizing a 289-seat Boeing 789 aircraft for their Riyadh service.

Under the new arrangement, Saudia will operate arrival flight SV108 at 2300 hours and departure flight SV109 at 2305 hours. The swap maintains operations at Terminal 4 for both carriers.

The agreement specifies a six-day operational pattern throughout the specified period.

The move comes after Vietnam Airlines (VN) plans to return two slots back to Pakistan International Airlines from April 5, 2025. These two slots will be leased by PIA to Saudia for the Summer 2025 season.

Vietnam Airlines currently operates flights VN051 and VN050 between London Heathrow and Saigon using a 274-seat Boeing 789 aircraft. The slot timings include a 1335 arrival and 1600 departure from Terminal 4, operating six days per week.

https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/ ... to-saudia/

[Karachi Aviator]

https://www.acl-uk.org/completed-slot-trades/ :

[adamalikhan]

If an airline is banned, like PIA currently is, how long can they hold onto slots for?

[Usman123]

Still leasing out slots? Means they have failed the audit?

[AP- BID]

Still leasing out slots? Means they have failed the audit?

If that's the case (even though it's too early to say there will be a official announcement) it's nothing except some grade A politics.
It's just the UK looking in their best interests by not compromising BA traffic to/from Islamabad.Because in what world is it possible that EASA deems CAA and PIA's conduct to be safe per their standard and the British DFT doesn't.

[Abbas Ali]

PIA has 10 slots at London Heathrow Airport leased out to other airlines.

6 slots leased out to Turkish Airlines
2 slots leased out to Saudia
2 slots leased out to Vietnam Airlines

The lease is renewed every six months.

Term of 2 slots leased out to Vietnam Airlines is expiring on April 5. PIA has decided to lease them out to Saudia. It means Saudia will have a total of 4 PIA slots at London Heathrow for Summer 2025.

PIA leased out slots to retain them as securing slots at Heathrow Airport is extremely difficult.

Once PIA receives permission to resume its own flights to UK, it will gradually reclaim these slots for its own London Heathrow operations

https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2590431/pakistan

Probably term of PIA slots leased out to Turkish Airlines to expire in coming months and enable PIA to resume London service soon after getting UK authorities' permission.

Abbas

[Usman123]

Thanks for the clarification sir !

[Karachi Aviator]

All this time period ever since the ban was imposed wasn't enough time for PIA to restore it's fleet? Cause all this time all we heard was that the aircrafts will return once the bans are lifted and now that the EASA ban is lifted and UK soon, PIA won't be having full fletched operations to both markets anytime soon by the looks of it. Most probably the other 6 slots will also be leased to another airline I assume.

[faisal-777]

Assuming PIA managements confidence to bring more aircraft into operation is a realistic goal, i can only imagine political reasons are delaying the PIA restart to its most important international destination. I have never been to UK but i can imagine that PIA @ LHR sounds more attractive option to travelers than BA @ LGW. I personally dont know what's the benefit of flying out of LHR over LGW but sounds like BA is definitely feeling one of their high load factor flights getting some competition

[Amaad Lone]

Maybe in the beginning PIA plans to operate six weekly flights into London and will use the slots on lease to Turkish.

Even six 777 flights will be enough initially with maybe Lahore getting twice a week and Islamabad getting four a week.

[Abbas Ali]

Saudia using flight number SV109 for Jeddah to London Heathrow flight operated with Boeing 787-9 every Sunday.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/sv109

Abbas