European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) has temporarily suspended the country’s flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA), from operating to and from the European Union.
The EASA found that “the operator could not demonstrate having effectively implemented all elements of a Safety Management Systems”. The measure will be effective from July 1, 2020, for a period of 6 months. PIA has the right to appeal against this decision.
Pakistan International Airlines suffered a plane crash last month when an aircraft crashed on second approach nearby Karachi airport killing 97 people.
After the plane crash, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) revealed that 262 out of 860 active Pakistani pilots had not sat the pilot exams themselves and that in total, 40% of pilots, including inactive ones, held “fake” licenses. Pakistan International Airlines immediately suspended 150 of its 426 pilots.
This revelation caused a scandal in the Pakistani aviation with the consequence of EASA banning the airline flying to Europe.
