ISLAMABAD: The first direct flight from Islamabad to Paris took off on Friday as the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed its long-awaited flights to Europe in more than four years, marking a major milestone for the national flag carrier.  PIA's authorisation to operate in the Europe was suspended in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority to ensure compliance with international aviation standards. The flight took off from Islamabad around 12:40pm, becoming the only carrier to offer a direct route to and from the European Union. "This is the first time I am travelling with PIA," said passenger Shumaila Rana, a 38-year-old school teacher living in Germany. "I'm nervous and I'm having a lot of anxiety, but I'm hoping it's gonna be a good flight." Federal Minister for Aviation Khawaja Asif, who saw off the passengers at the airport, said that the flight, PK 749, was 100% booked, signaling a positive turn for the airline, which has faced several challenges in recent years. Federal Minister for Aviation Khawaja Asif, who saw off the passengers at Islamabad airport, said that the flight, PK 749, was 100% booked, signaling a positive turn for the airline, which has faced several challenges in recent years. While addressing a ceremony after the flight's take off, Asif said that the national airline's services to Europe were once again operational, with PIA now connecting Pakistan with the French capital. The minister emphasised that the closure of several of PIA’s profitable routes in the past had severely impacted its operations. He also noted that these losses had affected services provided to overseas Pakistanis, particularly in Europe. Asif highlighted how PIA had previously been a symbol of national pride, with the airline offering essential services such as transporting the bodies of deceased Pakistanis back to their homeland free of charge. This service, however, had been discontinued, leaving many overseas Pakistanis without this vital support. The minister also expressed his hope for the future of the national carrier, stating that the restoration of PIA’s European routes was just the beginning. He confirmed that direct flights to the UK would be launched soon, further expanding the airline’s reach. Additionally, the he suggested that privatising PIA could be a potential solution to secure the airline’s long-term success and ensure its profitability moving forward. “The green and white flag of Pakistan is once again waving in European skies,” Khawaja Asif declared, referring to the airline’s renewed presence in the continent’s airspace. He also took the opportunity to criticise the negative impact that "irresponsible" statements about PIA by a former minister had caused over the years. He called for accountability from those who had made damaging remarks, stressing that such comments should not be allowed to hurt the reputation of the national carrier. The successful takeoff of PIA’s first flight to Paris is seen as a significant step in the airline's recovery, with 323 passengers on board for this historic journey. As per a report published in The News, the PIA will operate two weekly direct flights to Paris, with a cost-effective ticket pricing. Debt-ridden PIA was banned in June 2020 from flying to the European Union, United Kingdom and the United States, a month after one of its Airbus A-320s plunged into a Karachi street, killing nearly 100 people. The disaster was attributed by former aviation minister, Ghulam Sarwa, to human error by the pilots and air traffic control, and was followed by allegations that nearly a third of the licences for its pilots were fake or dubious. In November, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced it had lifted the ban, however, it remains barred from flying in the UK and the United States. At the time, it said it had "re-established sufficient confidence" in the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority's oversight capabilities. The airline flies to multiple cities inside Pakistan, including the mountainous north, as well as to the Gulf and Southeast Asia. The ban cost the loss-making airline 40 billion rupees ($144 million) annually in revenue.