‘There are strong indications that a high number of Pakistani pilots’ licences are invalid,’ said the EU’s safety regulator
Pakistan’s national carrier has been banned from flying from Europe for the rest of 2020.
The European Union Air Safety Agency (Easa) has withdrawn “third country operator” authorisation from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for six months from 1 July.
The ban also applies to the UK.
The decision follows the crash of a PIA Airbus A320 on a scheduled flight from Lahore to Karachi on 22 May. Ninety-seven passengers and crew died after a botched “go-around” that damaged the plane on a first attempted at landing.
Earlier this month, PIA was summoned to Easa’s headquarters in Cologne to discuss safety shortcomings.
Then, on 24 June 2020, Pakistan’s aviation minister told parliament that 262 out of 860 pilot licences issued by the country’s civil aviation authorities were fraudulent. More than half were held by pilots employed at PIA, though the airline said that 36 of the pilots no longer worked for the airline.
The letter from Easa to PIA says: “There are strong indications that a high number of Pakistani pilots’ licences are invalid.”
It added: “PIA persists in failing to demonstrate compliance with the applicable standards.”
In response, the airline tweeted: “PIA is in touch with Easa to allay their concerns and hopes that the suspension will be revoked.”
In normal times PIA links the capital, Islamabad, with Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester; Lahore with Heathrow and Manchester; and Karachi with Heathrow.
None of these flights is currently operating.
A spokesperson for the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said: “PIA flights from Birmingham, London Heathrow and Manchester airports are suspended with immediate effect.
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/pakistan-international-airlines-flight-ban-pia-crash-europe-uk-a9594101.html
