PIA stopped from using new A320 aircraft for flight operation

KARACHI: The national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been stopped from using recently acquired new plane for flight operation due to a tax dispute with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), ARY News reported on Saturday.

A dispute emerged between PIA and FBR over the payment of duty on recently acquired new planes. The tax dispute has been causing a massive financial loss worth millions of dollars to the national airline.

PIA had acquired four Airbus A-320 aircraft through tenders and the first plane landed in Islamabad on April 29.

The revenue institution imposed a sales tax worth Rs410 million on the national airline for acquiring the plane on lease.

The PIA management is facing difficulties with a lump-sum payment of the massive tax to the FBR as the airline is already paying $0.5 million in lease money for each aircraft.

READ: PIA TO INDUCT FOUR NEW AIRCRAFT INTO ITS FLEET BY FEBRUARY

The airline will be granted permission for using the recently acquired aircraft for the flight operation after the sales tax payment.

On April 29, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had inducted Airbus 320 in its fleet after the plane landed at Islamabad International Airport and its details were shared by Federal Minister for Aviation and Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique from his Twitter handle.

“The plane comprises of 170 seats and will begin its operations after Eid,” he said adding, three more plane will be added to PIA fleet in next couple of months.

PIA کے بیڑے میں اضافہ
ائیربس 320 اسلام آباد پہنچ گىئ
لیز پرحاصل شدہ ائیربس 170 نشستوں پر مشتمل اور4برس پہلے بناٸ گىئ
PIA کے انسگنیاکیساتھ عید کے بعد آپریشنز شروع ھونگے
مزید3 طیارے چندماہ میں PIAبیڑے کا حصہ بنیں
انشااللّٰہ نئے طیاروں کی شمولیت سےPIAکے آپریشن مزید ہموار ہونگے pic.twitter.com/H6d16C8DZ5

— Khawaja Saad Rafique (@KhSaad_Rafique) April 29, 2022

Saad Rafique said that the induction of new planes will help in smoothly running PIA operations.