Flights to Europe will resume in the first quarter of 2022, according to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) CEO Arshad Malik.
The announcement came after the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) validation committee cleared a safety audit report on PIA earlier this month.
The #EuropeanUnion is expected to lift a ban on #Pakistan International Airlines (#PIA) flights after an International Civil Aviation Organization’s (#ICAO) validation committee cleared a safety audit report on the Pakistani flag carrier, local media reported. pic.twitter.com/RX3NrT45DE
— Developing Pakistan (@developingpak) December 23, 2021
Due to licencing and flight safety issues, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspended PIA’s permission to fly in EU member countries in July 2020.
After receiving authorization from the international aviation auditor, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) CEO Arshad Malik said that the national flag carrier will fly to Europe in the first quarter of 2022.
The PIA chairman predicted the restriction would be lifted in the first quarter of next year during an interview on Thursday.
Before the visit of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) team, PIA sorted out its internal matters and made major improvements in safety and quality standards, which were checked by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). “With fantastic feedback, we were able to clear and cross that hurdle (safety and quality criteria),” he said.
He pointed out that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) had recently completed an audit but had not yet shared its conclusions.
However, he added, there were “extremely promising” indicators and acknowledgements of Pakistan’s aviation sector’s need for reform.
In response to a question, Malik noted that PIA had a “wonderful past,” but that political interference from previous administrations had damaged its performance.
“Unfortunately, political intervention has been going on for nearly two decades, strengthening people (at the top of the organisation) rather than the organisation,” he lamented.
“In an attempt to control and manage the organisation, people began to gather under the flags of groups and unions.”
PIA lost merit-based decisions as a result of these initiatives, he added, and the national flag carrier also stopped making commercial decisions.
“With everything going on, your performance indicators would automatically begin to deteriorate,” Malik added.
“Despite all impediments, we managed, organised, and groomed ourselves in commercial aviation,” he stated.
Malik praised PIA for successfully overcoming the challenges it encountered in the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak, which wreaked havoc on the aviation and hospitality industries.
“Then there was another hurdle,” he continued, referring to an international investigation of PIA pilot licences provided by the PCAA, which resulted in the suspension of European flights.
“However, we overcame these obstacles and expressed our determination to emerge from this situation.”
The PIA management confronted reality and barred all suspected pilots from flying planes, he said, adding that the national flag airline was not to blame because the regulatory authority had to tackle the issues.
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