The European Union has announced that the restrictions on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other Pakistani airlines will remain in effect, following recent evaluations that highlighted ongoing safety issues.
In its latest assessment, the EU Air Safety Committee decided to uphold the current ban on air carriers certified by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). This decision follows an on-site review conducted from November 27 to 30, 2023, which identified significant safety oversight deficiencies within the PCAA.
In response to these findings, the PCAA submitted a corrective action plan on May 6, 2024. This plan was subsequently discussed during a hearing with the EU safety committee in May. Despite these efforts, the committee opted to continue monitoring Pakistan’s aviation safety situation, with regular technical meetings and progress reports to be held in Brussels. The PCAA may be called to future hearings as necessary.
The committee’s report concluded that there are no justifiable reasons to modify the list of banned Pakistani air carriers. It also urged EU member states to maintain rigorous inspections of Pakistani aircraft to ensure compliance with international safety standards.
This decision is viewed as a significant setback for PIA’s operations in Europe, impacting the airline’s ability to serve the region.
