Pakistan may soon be assigned a Category 1 safety rating from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after Joe Biden's administration agreed to operate direct flights to and from Pakistan. We take a closer look below.

New US-Pakistan flights

The FAA could upgrade Pakistan's safety rating as the US considers welcoming direct flights from Pakistan. There have been no direct flights between the two countries since 2017 due to concerns over Pakistan's aviation safety record.

In a meeting at the US Department of State in Washington D.C, Pakistan's Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms, Salman Sufi, discussed the possibility of opening up direct flight access with US officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Bureau of South and Central Asia, Elizabeth Horst.

The Embassy of Pakistan in Washington said,

"The US side conveyed its readiness to have technical discussions with Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant departments and undertaking necessary visits for resumption of direct flights."

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Category 1 air safety record

Should Pakistan receive a Category 1 safety rating, Pakistani carriers would be able to launch new direct routes to the US and establish codesharing agreements with other airlines.

According to the FAA,

"A Category 1 rating means the country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards. This rating allows air carriers from that country to establish service to the United States and to carry the code of U.S. carriers through codesharing arrangements."

The FAA lowered Pakistan's safety rating on July 15th, 2020 after determining it was not in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards under the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program.

With its Category 2 safety rating, Pakistani airlines have restricted access to US airspace and cannot establish new routes or codeshares with US carriers.

Interestingly, before lowering Pakistan's safety rating, the US had given the green light for national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate 12 direct charter flights a month before revoking its decision over safety concerns.

Last year, Simple Flying explored what an FAA Category 2 safety rating means after the FAA downgraded Mexico's safety rating in May 2021.

FAA inspectors to visit

Inspectors from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will arrive in Pakistan soon to assess the country's airports and aircraft. The US Chamber of Commerce will also appoint a representative in Karachi.

Should the country's aviation sector pass the test, there is a good possibility Pakistan will receive a Category 1 rating.

Do you think Pakistan should receive a safety rating upgrade from the FAA? Let us know your insights in the comments.