- Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) faces ongoing delays in resuming direct flight operations.
- The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) plans to visit Pakistan in November.
- PIA’s flight disruptions trigger by various issues, including allegations of fake pilot licenses.
In recent developments, the planned resumption of Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) flight operations to the United Kingdom and other European destinations faces further delays.
Initially, former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had announced that direct flights from Pakistan to the UK would resume by October. Its now appears that this timeline will push back by several months.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) director-general (DG) has revealed that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) intends to visit Pakistan in November to assess the situation for flight restoration.
This implies that flights are unlikely to reinstate until at least November. EASA plays a pivotal role in ensuring safety and environmental protection in European air transport, and without their approval, flights to the UK and European destinations cannot resume.
According to the official, successful discussions took place with European officials in Brussels. During EASA’s upcoming visit, they will conduct a physical audit of Pakistan’s national flag carrier, PIA.
The disruption in PIA’s flight operations to the UK and Europe stems from various issues. Its including a statement by former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar, who alleged that many PIA pilots held fake licenses. Direct flights between the UK and Pakistan through PIA was suspended since July 2020.
In 2020, EASA suspended PIA’s flight operations to Europe due to safety concerns. EASA explained that they had revoked the Third Country Operator (TCO) Authorization for PIA after the airline failed to comply with proposed corrective action plans (CAPs).
During meetings in June and September 2019, PIA presents with six findings. Out of which five addresses through action plans, while one related to a Safety Management System was left unimplemented.
Efforts have been made by UK Parliament member Naz Shah to resume direct flights between the UK and Pakistan. She wrote a letter to the UK’s Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, urging the permission of direct flights between the two countries. In her communication in May of this year, she emphasises that approximately 270,000 Pakistanis residing in the UK are affecting by the flight disruption between the two nations.