EU bans Pakistan airline from flying to Europe for 6 months

ISLAMABAD: The European Union's aviation safety agency said on Tuesday that Pakistan's national airline will not be allowed to fly into Europe for at least six months after the country's aviation minister revealed that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had cheated on their pilot's exams.

Pakistan International Airlines spokesman Abdullah Hafeez says PIA has not been flying to Europe because of the pandemic. But the airline had hoped to resume its flights to Oslo, Copenhagen, Paris, Barcelona and Milan within the next two months.

It is hurting us really bad, he said of the pilots scandal.

In a statement, the PIA said that all passengers booked on its flights to European sectors will have the option to either extend their bookings for a later date or get full refunds. It said that the PIA administration was in contact with the EASA to allay their concerns and to take necessary corrective measures along with filing the appeal against the decision.

“PIA sincerely hopes that with reparative and swift actions taken by the Government of Pakistan and PIA Management, earliest possible lifting of this suspension can be expected, it said.

An inquiry into a May 22 PIA crash that killed 97 people at the southern port city of Karachi resulted in the stunning revelation that 260 of 860 pilots in Pakistan had cheated on their pilots exams but were still given licences by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The government has since fired four officials of the regulatory agency and criminal charges are being considered.

NAVA RAIPUR ATAL NAGAR VIKAS PRADHIKARAN