KARACHI – The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has refused to lift the ban on flights of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to the EU and the United Kingdom.
The decision comes as a blow to the hopes of the PIA officials, who were optimistic after the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) removed the significant safety concern regarding the national carrier earlier this month.
EASA in a letter to the Pakistani authorities said that the ICAO audit of airline has nothing to do with its regulations.
In 2020, the European aviation safety watchdog banned PIA from operating flights in the region after the deadly crash of Airbus A320 in Karachi, and subsequent disclosure that some of the pilots have obtained licences deceitfully.
In a letter dated January 20, EASA said that while ICAO was an important step towards a potential lifting of the suspension of PIA’s authorisation, it was important to address the overall oversight capacity of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“As indicated in our letter dated 31 March 2021, the emerging situation on the above-mentioned SSC indicated serious degradation of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) certification and oversight capabilities. Such information shall be taken by EASA when lifting the suspension.”
“EASA will consult other authorities to take the final decision to lift the ban on Pakistani airlines routes to the EU and will conduct the audit of the Civil Aviation,” it said.
The safety agency also hinted that it may hire third country services to conduct an audit of the CAA/PIA.
The on-site assessment will depend on the emerging cases of coronavirus, it added.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/in-a-first-pia-achieves-perfect-safety-score/
