US bans PIA’S special flights over dubious licences issue
Authorisation was revoked ‘due to recent events identified by the CAA that are of serious concern to aviation safety, specifically maters pertaining to the proper certification of certain Pak pilots’
The United States transport authority has revoked the permission granted to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate a number of special direct flights to the US, a spokesperson for the airline said as the fallout from the revelation of Pakistani pilots’ alleged dubious licences continues.
The authorisation was revoked “due to recent events identified by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that are of serious concern to aviation safety, specifically maters pertaining to the proper certification of certain Pakistani pilots,” according to an email sent to PIA officials by a Us-based law firm.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan confirmed that the airline had been notified of the permission being withdrawn via email.
The US Department of Transportation had in April granted PIA permission to operate 12 direct flights to the US to repatriate people stranded by the coronavirus pandemic. The airline had until now operated six of the flights to different US cities. It was the first time that Pakistan’s national flag carrier operated direct flights to the US.
“It is a setback for us,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez said in a statement. “However, we are keeping very close coordination with US Department of Transportation and we sincerely hope that with the reformative process already underway, they will review their decision to revoke the permissions.”
Following disclosure by federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan in parliament that 150 PIA pilots had “dubious” licences, the European and British aviation authorities had barred the airline from flying to their airports for at least six months.
The aviation regulators of several other countries, meanwhile, have sought verification of credentials of Pakistani pilots and engineers working there.
The development comes as the federal government in recent days has tried to assuage concerns about Pakistani pilots, stating that an inquiry into the issuance of “illegal” licences to 236 pilots between 2012 and 2018 was in progress.
The airline had suspended its commercial operations to the US in 2017 ater booking financial losses on the route. But in April the US Department of Transport granted it special permission to operate chartered flights for one year, largely to bring back stranded Pakistanis during the coronavirus lockdown.
Until the 1970s, Pakistan’s largest airline was considered a top regional carrier but its reputation plummeted amid chronic mismanagement, frequent cancellations and financial struggles.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) destroyed the Pakistan International Airlines through political appointments.
Gill said PPP issued 66 fake licences in the PIA, and Pakistan Tehrik-e-insaf (PTI) is making reforms in the national carrier, which was ruined by the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N).
He said the PML-N issued 180 licences in PIA. Those who destroyed the airlines are shedding crocodile tears today, he added while adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan is fighting against mafia and PPP is backing it.
Different crises were created in the country when action was taken against mafias but time has come to make them accountable, Gill stressed.
Meanwhile, a PIA air hostess has been served a notice to explain her position about her alleged misbehaviour with an on-duty doctor at Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA), Peshawar.
Benish Sadiq misbehaved with a lady doctor when the later asked the former for samples for a COVID-19 test upon her arrival at the airport from a Gulf country on-board the national flag carrier’s PK-9218 flight.
“Yet another serious complaint has been received from in charge Airport Health Establishment, BKIA, vide AHD/2019-2020/340 regarding your misbehaviour with an on duty Doctor ( Dr Shehnaz) upon arrival of flight PK-9218 on 05-07202 AUH-PEW,” read the notice served on the air hostess by Bashirud Din Behroze, Base Incharge Flight Services Bacha Khan International Airport.
He asked the PIA flight atendant to explain her stance about the incident within 24 hours of the receipt of this notice.