Management says SAEP tried to halt operations of the national flag carrier, but swift action thwarted their bid
Pakistan International Airlines canceled five flights after its engineering union suspended operations, the national carrier said in a statement on Friday. The airline alleged that the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan, a de-recognised body, tried to halt PIA operations during the late hours of Thursday “with a malicious plan to sabotage the privatization process”.
“Management, in collaboration with key post holders in the engineering department, responded promptly. Using alternative means and working tirelessly day and night, they restored operations, thereby reducing the impact of already delayed flights,” the statement said.
PIA confirmed that five flights were canceled following load adjustments and alternative arrangements were offered to affected passengers. The airline assured that flight operations were fully restored and that “customer convenience remains our highest priority”.
Read more: PIA’s flight operations hit as dispute with engineers continues
After revised schedule and crew adjustments, two international flights – Karachi-Toronto (PK-783) with 104 passengers and Islamabad-Manchester (PK-701) with 329 passengers – departed on time.
However, seven flights including Lahore–Madina (PK-747), Karachi–Jeddah (PK-761), Karachi–Islamabad (PK-300), Islamabad–Madina (PK-741), Islamabad–Dubai (PK-233), Islamabad–Dammam (PK-245) and Sialkot–Riyadh. PIA said it remained focused on minimizing disruption and ensuring passengers reach their destinations safely as operations return to normal schedule.
On Monday, flight operations were suspended following a battle between PIA and its flight engineers, who stopped issuing airworthiness clearances in protest against the behavior of the airline’s managing director. The suspension left 12 international flights grounded after 20:00 which caused difficulties for passengers including Umrah pilgrims. SAEP had announced that its members would not return to work until the CEO changed his behavior.
