PIA likely to get nod for Europe, UK flights

KARACHI: The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) team will arrive in Karachi on November 26 to conduct an audit of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), likely paving the way for the national flag carrier to begin flight operation for Britain and Europe, ARY News reported.

EASA will also conduct a remote safety audit of different departments of Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority CAA (PCAA).

The audit will determine the airworthiness of PIA, and whether it will regain access to European airspace.

A successful audit would allow PIA and other private airlines of chte country to restart flights to the EU.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is an agency of the European Union with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitoring. A successful audit would allow PIA and other private airlines of the country to restart flights to the EU.

It may be noted here that PIA was restricted from flying to EU states after the EASA suspended the national airline’s authorisation to operate flights to EU member states.

The restrictions were imposed in the wake of the May 22, 2020, Karachi plane crash and a statement by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar that around 40 percent of Pakistani pilots had fake licences.