ISLAMABAD – Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) sacked President and Secretary General of the Society of Aircraft Engineers, while the national airline is grappling with major flight disruptions across the country, severely affecting both domestic and international operations.
The move comes amid a long-standing dispute between PIA management and aircraft engineers. Both officials had been summoned during inquiries initiated last year but reportedly failed to appear for a personal hearing before the PIA CEO.
According to official notifications, the action against the engineers was taken under PIA rules. Owais Jadoon has announced plans to challenge the dismissal in court, citing available documents.
2024 inquiry and subsequent dismissals were influenced by ongoing protests by engineers over workplace and safety issues. Owais Jadoon claimed that the dismissals were primarily linked to the engineers highlighting technical faults in aircraft and regulatory violations. He further stated that refusal by engineers to approve aircraft with defects also contributed to the decision.
The engineers announced that they will not authorize any flight without proper aircraft safety checks and airworthiness inspections. The decision follows complaints over delayed salaries, a shortage of spare parts, and deteriorating working conditions.
The suspension has already caused widespread flight cancellations and severe delays, including a 10-hour delay for Flight PK-304 and an 18-hour delay for Flight PK-218. PIA management has accused the “unrecognized engineering body” of taking unauthorized action and is attempting to stabilize the situation through alternate arrangements.
Passengers have been left frustrated, particularly those traveling on international routes or undertaking Umrah trips. The disruption has also raised concerns about the airline’s reliability and the safety standards of Pakistan’s aviation system.
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