Half of PIA fleet grounded, European flights at risk
Millions lost as PIA struggles with grounded aircraft; Engineering negligence threatens Paris flight operation; PIA spokesperson promises readiness despite concerns
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Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) engineering department's alleged negligence and inefficiency have raised concerns about disruptions to its Europe-bound flight operations, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.
Out of PIA's fleet of 34 aircraft, 17 planes are currently grounded. According to details, seven out of twelve Boeing 777s and seven out of seventeen Airbus 320s are non-operational. Furthermore, only two out of five ATR aircraft are currently in service.
Sources revealed that the grounded aircraft face issues primarily due to a lack of essential components such as engines, landing gear, and auxiliary power units (APUs). This has resulted in significant financial losses, amounting to millions of dollars for the national airline.
The sources further disclosed that several of PIA's grounded planes have been out of service for years. Most of the parts from these grounded aircraft have been reused in other operational planes.
The sources said the grounding of the Boeing 777s has particularly raised concerns about the planned resumption of flight operations to Paris.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), while lifting the operational ban, had issued strict guidelines for PIA, stating that aircraft flying to Europe would be subjected to rigorous SAFA inspections and stringent monitoring.
However, in a contrasting statement, the PIA spokesperson assured that the aircraft intended for Paris operations is fully prepared.
Reporter: Khursheed Rehmani