Threat of omani airspace ban looms over PIA

RAWALPINDI: As the Pakistan aviation regulator and the national flag carrier grapple with the credibility crisis that hit the institutions last month, a threat of a ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights in the airspace of Oman looms large as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) assured them that credentials of all pilots had been scrutinised to ensure flight safety. While expressing concern over the recent safety issue with the PIA, the Omani Civil Aviation Authority warned Pakistan that the national flag carrier could be barred from using its airspace, sources said. They added that the Omani authorities also asked Islamabad to explain what curative measures had been taken to ensure safety of flights.

Earlier, the European Union Air Safety Agency suspended PIA authorisation to operate to the EU member states for six months, while the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also shared its concern over the serious lapse in the licensing and safety oversight by the aviation regulator.

The Pakistan CAA explained to the Omani Civil Aviation Authority that credentials of all pilots, who were allowed to fly, had been scrutinised before they had been declared fit to fly, the sources said. The Omani authorities were further informed that the scrutiny of pilots was initiated by the Pakistani authorities on the directive of the Supreme Court of Pakistan a couple of years ago, the sources RAWALPINDI: As the Pakistan aviation regulator and the national flag carrier grapple with the credibility crisis that hit the institutions last month, a threat of a ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights in the airspace of Oman looms large as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) assured them that credentials of all pilots had been scrutinised to ensure flight safety. While expressing concern over the recent safety issue with the PIA, the Omani Civil

Aviation Authority warned Pakistan that the national flag carrier could be barred from using its airspace, sources said. They added that the Omani authorities also asked Islamabad to explain what curative measures had been taken to ensure safety of flights. Earlier, the European Union Air Safety Agency suspended PIA authorisation to operate to the EU member states for six months, while the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also shared its concern over the serious lapse in the licensing and safety oversight by the aviation regulator.

The Pakistan CAA explained to the Omani Civil Aviation Authority that credentials of all pilots, who were allowed to fly, had been scrutinised before they had been declared fit to fly, the sources said. The Omani authorities were further informed that the scrutiny of pilots was initiated by the Pakistani authorities on the directive of the Supreme Court of Pakistan a couple of years ago, the sources explained. US downgrades Pakistan’s air safety rating; CAA assures Muscat’s regulator about pilots’ credentials, flights safety measures

“As the PTI government came into power, the process of scrutiny was paced up but our pilot licences are never faked. Sometimes there are only validity issues. There had been anomaly in the examinations after which those pilots were grounded in the light of a forensic report,” a source said, adding that all the PIA pilots who continued to fly aircraft had been cleared after scrutiny and they all were well-experienced.

Amid the aviation crisis, seven other countries where Pakistani pilots had been employed with different airlines had asked Islamabad to verify their credentials. While the Omani CAA did not officially send any specific list of Pakistani pilots employed there to verify their credentials, the authorities only asked Islamabad to explain what curative measures had been taken to ensure the safety of flights as why not the PIA should be barred from using the Oman’s airspace. 28 pilots’ licences cancelled Meanwhile, the commercial flying licence of 28 Pakistani pilots have been cancelled. They had been traced to have ‘dubious’ licences in 2018. After legal formalities, they would be terminated from service by the airline.