As a result of a controversy in which almost one-third of the nation’s pilots were revealed to have fraudulent accreditations, Pakistan’s national carrier has been prohibited from flying to the US. Flag Carrier of Pakistan PIA, banned by the USA as an aftershock of fraud pilot scandal.
On July 1, Pakistan International Airlines Corp.’s attorneys in Washington were advised by the U.S. Transportation Department that their authorization to travel to U.S. destinations was effectively revoked. On Thursday the department published a copy of the document.
PIA was convulsed with years of economic problems and a horrific accident happened on May 22 in which 98 people died when a pilot unexpectedly lowered the landing gear shortly before touchdown, destroying the turbines. The pilot attempted to take off, but a short time later the engines failed.
Pakistan claimed last month that out of more than 850 commercial pilots, 262 had fraudulent credentials and didn’t even appear in the authority’s certification tests. This week the South Asian nation terminated 28 pilots following the temblor of fraud pilot scandal while the rest are also on an investigation.
On June 30th, the Federal Aviation Administration already informed, all PIA’s flights to the U.S. would be discontinued. In June, PIA operated special flights from destinations like New Jersey and Chicago to carry stranded passengers, while nations placed transport prohibitions to stem the transmission of the corona infection.
The U.S. force to take last month ‘s proposal by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to suspend airlines operating from Pakistan to its member states.
“This is a disappointment for PIA because of the prevailing fraud pilot scandal,” Abdullah Hafeez Khan, spokesman for Pakistan International Airlines. “PIA has tried desperately to obtain permission for direct flights.”
According to Khan, the airline has been recently approved to operate 12 flights to the U.S. following a three year break. To carry stranded travelers, it used the permit to fly seven separate flights.
PIA has still not earned a profit in 15 years and at the end of last year, expenses estimated at $3.8 billion. For a fleet size of 30 it has about 14,000 staffs.
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