RAWALPINDI: Pakistan International Airlines insisted on Sunday that recent flight cancellations were unrelated to a strike by engineering personnel, attributing the disruptions instead to schedule adjustments, adverse weather, and routine operational factors.
Responding to assertions made by the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP) regarding safety concerns, a PIA spokesperson emphasized that aviation safety oversight falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). The spokesperson explained that PCAA enforces rigorous international standards across all Pakistani carriers, including PIA, and that all decisions regarding aircraft parts, flight readiness, and scheduling modifications require PCAA authorization.
The spokesperson addressed widely circulated photographs showing an aircraft windscreen with tape, clarifying that steel tape is commonly used during the curing process after windscreen repairs to dry sealant. The airline contended that these images were misinterpreted to suggest that flights operated with windscreens merely held together by adhesive tape.
Regarding personnel matters, PIA management denied taking punitive measures against engineers in response to the labor action. The spokesperson characterized the dismissal of SAEP’s leadership as the culmination of administrative proceedings that had been underway for four months, rather than retaliatory action.
However, termination notices issued to the union’s president and general secretary the previous week cited unauthorized media appearances and the disclosure of confidential company information as grounds for dismissal. Both individuals were subsequently terminated after failing to respond to summons from an internal inquiry committee.
