PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) EU261 — Up to €600 Per Person
Pakistan International Airlines (IATA: PK) operates flights from London Heathrow, Manchester, and Birmingham to Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. If your PIA flight was delayed or cancelled, you may be entitled to €600 compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 — and UK passengers have six years to claim.
Eligibility for PIA claims
- ✓ Your PIA flight departed from a UK or EU airport (LHR, MAN, BHX, BCN, FRA, etc.)
- ✓ You arrived at your final destination 3+ hours late, or your flight was cancelled under 14 days notice
- ✓ The disruption was not caused by extraordinary circumstances
- ✗ Flights from Pakistan to UK/EU (Islamabad → London) are NOT covered — PIA is a non-EU carrier
- ⚠️ PIA frequently claims "technical issues" as extraordinary circumstances — courts regularly reject this defence
Compensation amounts — PIA UK routes
| Route | Distance | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow (LHR) → Islamabad (ISB) | ~5,800 km | €600 |
| London Heathrow (LHR) → Lahore (LHE) | ~5,900 km | €600 |
| London Heathrow (LHR) → Karachi (KHI) | ~6,300 km | €600 |
| Manchester (MAN) → Islamabad (ISB) | ~5,600 km | €600 |
| Birmingham (BHX) → Islamabad (ISB) | ~5,700 km | €600 |
All PIA UK–Pakistan routes exceed 3,500 km → maximum €600 per person applies for delays of 4h+ at final destination.
⚠️ How PIA typically responds to claims
- → PIA often cites "technical issues" as extraordinary circumstances — EU courts have consistently ruled that technical faults within an airline's control do NOT qualify as extraordinary
- → PIA may offer travel vouchers instead of cash — you are legally entitled to refuse these and insist on cash
- → If your claim is rejected, escalate to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK — they can compel payment
- → Using a specialist like AirHelp significantly increases your chance of success against PIA
Claim deadlines by country
UK passengers flying from Heathrow, Manchester or Birmingham can claim back 6 years. A PIA delay from 2020 is still claimable today.
Find old PIA bookings in your inbox
SubRadar scans your Gmail or Outlook for PIA booking emails and flags flights that may qualify for EU261 compensation — up to 6 years back.
Scan my flight emails freeFile with AirHelp — no win, no fee
AirHelp has experience filing against PIA and knows exactly which legal arguments to use. ~25% success fee, only if they win your claim.
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