PIA requests moratorium on CAA charges to ride out choppy waters

KARACHI: PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik has requested the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to waive its charges to help the airline get through the unprecedented aviation crisis brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter written to the CAA director general, he said the aviation industry is passing through the worst of the crises it has faced in its history as the situation is going from bad to worse against all previous expectations.

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“Unfortunately, even after surviving for three months in Corona crisis, airline industry is under immense stress due to challenging future outlook,” reads the letter, adding many airlines have gone bankrupt and laid off their employees due to the crisis.

Arshad Malik said PIA has made all-out efforts to remain afloat against all odds and has operated a substantial number of relief flights to utilise its resources in the absence of a regular schedule.

“Despite our efforts, this challenge is too enormous to be handed by PIACL alone; to surmount it we need help of Government of Pakistan and its esteemed institutions like CAA,” he said, calling for a moratorium on CAA charges till the COVID 19 situation subsides.

He said it can greatly assist PIA in mitigating its financial woes. This step will not only ensure the survival of the airline industry in Pakistan but also help save thousands of jobs in the airline and allied sectors, he emphasised.