PIA suspends flights from Karachi, shifts operation to Lahore

PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik has ordered the suspension of flights operation from Karachi International Airport following reports that four Airline pilots have symptoms of coronavirus after returning from UK in a ferry flight.

The PIA was conducting flights to Canada and Britain as part of its partial restoration of flights operation. These flights will not be operated from Lahore International Airport.

According to PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan, the suspension of operation will remain in force until SOPs announced by the government are not totally followed at the airports.

He also rejected reports of presence of coronavirus in PIA pilots.

The PIA has now decided to operate planned flights for Canada and Britain from Lahore. Four flights to Canada and UK will be operated from Lahore between April 5 and April 9.

Sunday’s nights flight from Islamabad to Manchester will land at Lahore to pick up passengers. PIA flight from Karachi to Torono for April 7 has been rescheduled, which will now take off from Lahore.

PIA flight PK-9787 from Karachi to London on April 7 has also been rescheduled and will now take off from Lahore.

PIA flight from Lahore to Toronto PK-783 will land in Islamabad on return. On April, PIA flight PK-757 will leave Lahore for London which will land in Islamabad on return.

On April 8, PIA flight PK-709 will operate from Lahore to Manchester. On April 9, PIA flight PK-785 will operate from Lahore London.

Earlier the pilots association, PALPA, refused to fly planes after four of its pilots underwent coronavirus test.

According to 24NewsHD TV channel, pilots have complained that procedures are not being followed for flights. They said PIA flight from Skardu to Islamabad was disinfected. About 40 percent passengers of a flight coming from Canada were not provided with face masks, they added.