EU decides to maintain ban on Pakistani air carriers

ISLAMABAD: The European Union (EU) has decided to maintain the ban on Pakistani air carriers, including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

This decision follows a thorough review by the EU Air Safety Committee, which included an on-site evaluation of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and assessments of Pakistani airlines Fly Jinnah and Airblue Ltd, conducted between November 27 and 30, 2023.

The evaluation revealed several deficiencies within the PCAA, such as insufficient scrutiny in closing findings based on proposed corrective actions rather than actual evidence, deviations from established procedures, and severe understaffing in the Flight Standards Directorate.

Despite these issues, no major safety concerns were identified regarding the airworthiness or personnel licensing and training organizations, which were found to be adequately staffed.

Fly Jinnah, one of the assessed carriers, was highlighted for needing improvements in record-keeping and management of findings. In response, the PCAA presented a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) on May 6, 2024, and detailed the steps taken to address the identified issues during a hearing before the EU Air Safety Committee on May 14, 2024. Measures included increasing the number of qualified inspectors from one to nineteen in the Flight Standards Directorate, establishing a Quality Control section in each department, and creating a central Quality Assurance department.

Fly Jinnah also outlined improvements in its quality management system, including using software tools for various operational functions and outsourcing key activities to Air Arabia.

The EU Air Safety Committee emphasized the importance of continuous monitoring of the safety situation in Pakistan, including regular technical meetings in Brussels and progress reports from the PCAA.

The Committee also stressed the need for ongoing support and leadership stability within the PCAA from the Pakistani government.

For now, the EU has decided to keep the ban in place, urging Member States to continue verifying compliance through ramp inspections. The Commission warned that any revelation of imminent safety risks could lead to further actions, highlighting the importance of maintaining international safety standards.