KARACHI – Pakistan International airlines cancelled as many as over 25 national and international flights on Friday apparently due to inadequacy of aircraft at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
According to a report by Dunya News, the national flag carrier had a fleet of 37 planes which was reduced to 32 after five aircrafts purchased on lease were returned, causing a disruption in regular flights.
What exacerbates the situation a bit more is the protracted delay that the passengers had to face due to mismanagement denting the reputation of Pakistan International Airlines.
According to PIA’s flight inquiry officer, the flights were cancelled due to insufficient number of passengers, leaving no option for PIA than to cancel the overall operation for the said flights.
Internationally accepted norm
PIA’s clarification that the flights were cancelled owing to minimum amount of passengers apaprently due to Ramazan, seems to hold no water as international airlines have sometimes carried single passengers in order to preserve their reputation.
One such example is of Philippines Airlines that transported a single passenger from Manila to beach island Boracay, last year.
Another example relates to Delta Air Lines that honored a single passenger from Atlanta to New Orleans last year.
Steven Schneider of Lawrenceville, Georgia captured the moment as well.
Heroin bust saga
Apart from flight delays and cancellation, another constraint marring the credibility of the national flag carrier and the country is the spree of drug busts in recent past.
British authorities claimed to have recovered heroin on May 15 from a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight at Heathrow airport.
The National Crime Agency of Britain was investigating the matter relating to the recovery of narcotics from Islamabad to London flight PK-785 by the border security personnel.
A week after the London drug bust, 20 kilograms of heroin were recovered from a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight at Islamabad Airport.
Flight PK785 was destined to depart for London from Benazir Bhutto International Airport when it was searched in a scheduled inspection.
