- International flights from Abu Dhabi, Dubai are affected.
- Nine PIA flights cancelled, 18 others delayed.
- Air League, the Officers’ Association supports engineers.
KARACHI: Several Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights were canceled and several others delayed as the dispute between the national carrier and its engineering staff entered its sixth day, sources said on Sunday.
The issue stems from the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan’s (SAEP) protest over working conditions and safety-related complaints.
From As of 5 pm, PIA had canceled nine flights and delayed 18 others due to technical problems and lack of spare parts.
The canceled international flights included those from Abu Dhabi to Peshawar, Dubai to Karachi and Faisalabad to Dubai.
PIA flights from Dubai to Faisalabad and Peshawar to Dubai also faced cancellation.
Domestic cancellations included flights between Gilgit and Islamabad as well as Skardu and Islamabad in both directions.
The dispute also resulted in 18 domestic and international flights experiencing delays of up to ten hours.
The deadlock between the PIA management and its engineering staff worsened last week after the national carrier sacked the president and general secretary of SAEP.
An announcement on November 6 announced the dismissal of the two officials after they failed to appear for in-person hearings on November 4 and 5 before the airline’s CEO.
Meanwhile, the Air League, a labor representative union, and the Officers Association announced support for the aircraft engineers.
In a joint statement, they condemned the dismissal of the SAEP officials, calling it a “blatant example” of “retaliation”.
Air League president Shamim Akmal noted that PIA was going through a sensitive period amid lingering issues of “corruption and financial mismanagement”.
However, he said that raising concerns about passenger safety has now been treated as a criminal offence.
The officers association demanded immediate reinstatement of SEAP officials while urging the PIA management to resolve issues through dialogue.
The PIA management had accused the aircraft engineers’ body of trying to “sabotage the airline’s privatisation”.
Last week, a PIA spokesperson said the SAEP’s move to walk off the job after raising a “safety issue” was a deliberate attempt to disrupt operations and pressure the administration.
