The European aviation authority EASA has blacklisted Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for six months. The measure follows accusations from the Pakistani authorities. 262 out of a total of 860 Pakistani pilots are said to have messed with their exams.
According to Pakistan’s airline minister, this includes 141 pilots from PIA, the country’s flag carrier. The other pilots, according to the minister, work for smaller companies.
PIA says the list of things is wrong. For example, 36 of the 141 PIA pilots on the list would no longer work for the company. The pilots themselves and the pilots’ union have also criticized.
“The list includes names of well-trained and qualified pilots who have passed all exams,” said the union. The chairman said that some of the pilots on the list had died years ago.
Letter to embassies
The airline has been trying to appease foreign embassies and international aviation authorities in recent days. In a letter this weekend, PIA wrote that it guarantees that all pilots have real diplomas, which have been approved by the authorities.
The airline did not fly to Europe because of the coronavirus, but the company wanted to resume those flights within two months.
Alarm signals
The malversations were discovered in an investigation into the air crash in Karachi late last month. In addition, 97 of the 99 occupants were killed. A 13-year-old girl on the floor was also killed.
The investigation revealed that the pilots ignored alarm signals from the aircraft and did not comply with the procedures. Air traffic control had also made serious mistakes.
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