PIA incurs Rs280mn loss after suspension of EU flights

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) incurred a loss of Rs280 million after suspension of its flight operation to and from the European Union (EU) states, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar informed the National Assembly on Wednesday.

In a written reply, he said the national flag carrier’s receipts from its flight operation in the EU bloc fell to Rs1.41 billion from Rs1.69 billion in July-August 2020.

However, the minister said the airline raked in a sum of Rs520 million from its Pakistan-UK flights during this period. He said it hired the services of Malta company for flights between the two countries besides operating four roundtrip charter flights during coronavirus lockdowns.

The PIA raked in Rs5.81 billion revenue as against expenditure to the tune of Rs5.31 billion, he added.

Sarwar said the Pakistan International Airlines also resumed flights to Canada, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Malaysia, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia.

In July, the European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) had suspended the authorisation for the PIA to operate in the bloc for six months. “EASA has temporarily suspended PIA’s authorisation to operate to the EU member states for a period of 6 months effective July 1, 2020, with the right to appeal against this decision,” a Pakistan International Airlines statement had said.