Pakistan International Airlines continues to face flight disruptions

Islamabad, Nov 5 (PTI) Pakistan International Airlines, the country’s national flag carrier, continued to face flight disruptions on Wednesday due to the ongoing dispute with aircraft engineers.

The tiff between the Society of Aircraft Engineers Pakistan (SAEP), a representative of engineers, and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had been going on for some time but relations deteriorated when the engineers stopped issuing airworthiness certificates, effectively grounding multiple aircraft on Monday and triggering mass cancellations across domestic and international routes.

The SEAP action disrupted travel plans for thousands of passengers, dealing a devastating blow to the already struggling airline. Though the PIA claimed that the situation has improved but disruption was still going on.

Two flights, PK302 and PK306, from Karachi to Lahore were cancelled, while PK304 was delayed by ten hours. PK370 from Karachi to Islamabad was delayed by three hours.

PK218 from Peshawar to Doha faced an 18-hour delay, as did PK286 from Doha to Peshawar.

The SEAP clarified that the engineers continue to perform their duties and are issuing clearances for aircraft that are deemed fit to fly.

It reiterated that its members will not give in to managerial pressure and will not compromise passenger safety or flight standards under any circumstances.

Its demands include an increase in salaries, which it said have remained stagnant for the past eight years, along with the timely provision of aircraft spare parts and an improved working environment.

The PIA on Tuesday accused the SEAP of attempting to sabotage the airline’s ongoing privatisation process by halting aircraft clearances under the pretext of safety concerns.

“The main objective of this movement is to sabotage the ongoing process of PIA’s privatisation, which is now in its final stages,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan said in a statement.

The government is planning to privatise the airline despite its initial attempt to sell the national carrier failed last year. PTI SH GSP GSP