Flight delays pile up as PIA engineers continue pushback on unfit aircraft

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The protest by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft engineers continued for a second day on Tuesday, delaying dozens of flights in Karachi and leaving scores of passengers stranded.

A dispute between Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) management and its aircraft engineers has brought flight operations to a near standstill, as engineers have stopped issuing safety clearances, leaving several planes grounded and passengers stranded at major airports.

Sources said the protests have thrown the schedule into disarray. After 8 pm on Monday, none of PIA’s international flights managed to take off, and dozens of domestic and outbound services have been delayed or cancelled.

According to sources in the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP), the airline’s management has started taking disciplinary action against the engineers.

Sources said that six aircraft engineers posted at Peshawar airport have been shifted to Karachi. He insisted the engineers were not on strike – they were reporting for duty and only cleaning aircraft they believed were airworthy.

He added that nothing he considered air would not get clearance. They claim that the administration is trying to push through the approvals through pressure and threats.

As part of the backup plan, PIA brought in engineers from a private company, but they managed to clear only two flights.

Scores of flights grounded

At least 55 flights were affected on Monday, with five canceled at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports, he said.

Twelve international flights were also disrupted, putting passengers in a difficult spot. A large number of them are Umrah pilgrims.

Two Karachi Skardu flights and one Lahore-Karachi flight were cancelled, while Lahore Musket flights PK-329 and PK-330 were also cancelled.

Similarly, the Karachi-Lahore flight PK-302 was delayed by more than 14 hours, while the first Karachi-Islamabad flight, PK-300, could not operate as per schedule. Islamabad-Gilgut flights PK-601 and PK-602 also failed to operate due to operational disruption.

Sapp said his members would not return to work until the airline’s CEO changed his attitude. The union said it has stopped issuing aircraft clearance for the plane.

According to CEP sources, the engineers had been wearing black armbands for almost two-and-a-half months to press their demands.

He said that even during this long, peaceful protest, the airline’s management did not bother to sit down and talk to him.

Sources say engineers have not received a raise in eight years, and the airline is facing a severe shortage of spare parts, and it is alleged that engineers are forced to clear aircraft for flights in violation of aviation rules.

Saip said he could not risk the lives of passengers due to the pressure of airline management.

The CEO of the national airline has ordered strict action against aircraft engineers and warned that any engineer responsible for disrupting operations will face strict action.

On the other hand, the national airline’s spokesperson said that the body of aircraft engineers has no legal status, and “the real purpose of this movement is to sabotage the privatization of the airline.”

Describing it as a “safety issue” and simultaneously walking away from the job was a deliberate act aimed at causing inconvenience to passengers and unfair pressure on the management, he said.

“The Pakistan Compulsory Services (Rehabilitation) Act, 1952, is in force in the national airline, which makes strikes or walkouts illegal,” the CEO said, adding that those participating in or supporting such actions would face legal consequences.

He also said that the management is arranging engineering support from other airlines, and flights will start departing soon.