News
December 13, 2024
With Half of PIA Fleet Grounded, EU Flight Resumption at Risk
Karachi: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) continues to struggle with operational efficiency as several of its aircraft remain grounded due to a shortage of critical spare parts.
Out of the 34 aircraft in PIA's fleet, 17 are still temporarily out of service.
The situation is particularly dire for the airline's Boeing 777 fleet, where 7 out of 12 planes are grounded. Additionally, 7 out of 17 Airbus A320 planes are also non-operational.
The airline's smaller ATR aircraft have not been spared, with only 2 of the 5 currently active.
The grounded planes have been affected by a lack of essential components, including engines, landing gear, Auxiliary Power Units (APUs), and other vital parts.
Many of the components from these inactive aircraft have been repurposed for use in other planes over the years, exacerbating the shortage.
The grounding of these aircraft has had a significant financial impact on the national carrier, with PIA incurring millions of dollars in losses.
The delay in acquiring the necessary spare parts has also led to disruptions in PIA's flight operations, including a potential delay to the airline’s planned Paris flight service.
Earlier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced that it will restart its flights to Europe on January 10, following the European Union’s decision to lift a four-year ban on the airline. The announcement was made by the airline in a statement on Saturday.
PIA confirmed that the first flight will depart from Islamabad to Paris on January 10. Initially, the airline will operate two weekly flights, scheduled for Fridays and Sundays, with plans to gradually increase the frequency. - The Express Tribune
Courtesy The Express Tribune
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