A day after Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan expressed hope that the ban imposed on Pakistan International Airline (PIA) to operate flights in Europe would be lifted soon, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) informed the national flag carrier that the ban has been extended by three months and that it would not be reviewed until a safety audit of the Civil Aviation Authority.
The extension of ban is another blow to the PIA as it is causing huge financial loses to the airline which is already in dire straits due to years of neglect and mismanagement. Since PIA can no longer operate its flights to some of the most lucrative European routes such as London, other airlines are taking advantage of the situation and expanding their operations in Pakistan. Corrective measures need to be taken at the earliest in order to get the ban lifted. Our authorities should also remain in constant touch with the European agency and update it regularly regarding the implementation of agreed corrective action plan. In the meantime, the management of PIA must focus more on profitable routes in the Gulf region. Millions of Pakistanis are living in the Gulf countries that often travel to their homeland. By providing them better service at reduced rates, the national flag carrier can find its substantial share and enhance its revenues since most of the Pakistanis prefer travelling on the PIA rather than other airlines.
However, for this, we will have to induct new aircrafts to cater to their requirements. The issue of fake licenses to pilots has wreaked havoc with our aviation sector and brought disgrace to the country. All those responsible for issuing dubious licenses should not only be laid off but also be prosecuted and duly punished. At the same time, the CAA should come up with a strict and transparent mechanism to award licenses to pilots, as after all it is matter of life of passengers whether they are travelling domestically or internationally.
