Over 65 bird-hit plane cases reported in Pakistan this year

KARACHI: The national flag-carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), suffered most in term of financial loss due to bird-hit plane cases reported up to 65 across the country this year, ARY News reported on Thursday.

National and foreign airlines faced massive financial loss due to bird strikes on aircraft inside Pakistan’s airspace in 2019 followed by lack of cleanliness and delay in installation of the bird control system at airports.

Most incidents were reported from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport and Allama Iqbal International Airport – Lahore which primarily gave financial dent to the national flag-carrier as 54 planes affected in bird strikes, whereas, it also affected the flight schedules.

Sources said that overall 18 aircraft of PIA including Boeing 777 and Airbus A-320 were badly affected in such incidents.

Karachi airport listed on top of the list where most bird strike incidents occurred this year. Six cases were reported in Islamabad, three in Quetta, two in Sukkur, one in Turbat and three in Peshawar.

 

Despite the rising number of bird strike incidents, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has not installed modern equipment under airport bird control system at any airport of the country. The administration of PIA and foreign airlines had registered its complaints but no action is taken so far.