CAA slams foreign airlines for pinning blame of flights cancellation on Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has clarified that it has not revoked any flight authorization granted to international airlines, saying foreign carriers are solely responsible such commercial rescheduling/ cancellation of flight operations to Pakistan.

CAA in an official statement said that current active restrictions were imposed by Pakistan on May 5, 2021 and that the only restrictions that are currently enforced have been applicable since May 05, 2021.

“However, it has come to our notice that foreign air carriers operating to/from Pakistan are over-booking passengers on flights operated to Pakistan from across all international destinations in their route networks on the presumption that enhanced quota will be authorized from next revision of our NOTAM,” the aviation authority said.

“These over-bookings are being cancelled on the pretext that Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has revoked flight authorizations thereby pinning the blame on Pakistan CAA,” it added.

In the meantime, neither has Pakistan CAA relaxed such COVID-19 restrictions nor has committed to anything indicating that intemational inbound flight restrictions may be eased at a certain point in time.

“It said that the excuse of cancelling already booked, confirmed flights / seats owing to flight approval revocation by Pakistan CAA is untenable and Pakistan CAA, currently, has no intervention either in over-booking of passengers on flights operated from outside Pakistan or cancellation of these flights to Pakistan,” read the official statement.  

Pakistan CAA has taken a strict notice of this wrongdoing by foreign air carriers leading to public discomfort and inconvenience for our esteemed travelling public and Pakistan CAA reserves the right to initiate any and all necessary punitive action against these air carriers, at its discretion.