Nearly a quarter of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilots have been found not to hold valid licences. An investigation following the Karachi air disaster in May, in which all passengers and crew lost their lives, revealed that 262 of 850 pilots had potentially fake licences or ones containing irregularities.
It was believed that many had not even taken the Pakistan regulator’s pilot qualification examination.
Some 150 pilots were suspended as investigations continue, according to a report by Forbes.
The Pakistan flag carrier has now been banned from operating in both the US and the UK. The European Union Air Safety Agency EASA withdrew “third country operator” authorisation from PIA for six months from 1 July.
The letter from EASA to PIA read: “There are strong indications that a high number of Pakistani pilots’ licences are invalid.” It added: “PIA persists in failing to demonstrate compliance with the applicable standards.” On the same day, the US Department of Transportation suspended PIA from operating in the US.
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| Pakistan International Airlines is the Pakistan flag carrier. |
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