The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) team recently visited Pakistan to evaluate the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on several fronts, including licensing, flight safety, flight standards, and airworthiness.
PIA is optimistic about resuming flights to the UK and has planned to operate 22 weekly flights to the region. To prepare for this, PIA has invited bids for in-flight catering services at London, Manchester, and Birmingham airports, with the deadline for submission of technical and financial proposals set for June 27, 2024.
It is noteworthy that PIA was previously banned from flying to EU countries after EASA suspended the airline’s authorization following the May 22, 2020, Karachi plane crash and a statement by former Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar that approximately 40 percent of Pakistani pilots held fake licenses.
