PCAA Issues Notices To Four Airline Operators Over Canceling Domestic Flights

ISLAMABAD :Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has issued notices to four airline operators including PIA, Serene Air, Airblue and Airsial over cancellation of 383 confirmed scheduled domestic flights, out of 1,145 since October 1, 2021, on the prext of some ‘operational reasons.’ After cancellation of the domestic flights, airline operators utilized their aircraft of the conduct of international chartered operations, the authority said on its twitter handle quoting some complaints through different forums in that regard .

The PCAA said it observed that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) canceled 130 flights out of 417, Serene Air 117 out of 250, Airblue 86 out of 261 and Airsial 50 out of 217. “In light of the cancellation of 383 flights depicting a total percent of 33.4%, the Competent Authority has decided to withhold all international chartered flight permissions forthwith,” it said.

Prior to requesting any permission for international chartered flights, the authority said, airline operators would submit an undertaking that domestic flight schedule approved for any ongoing “scheduling season(s)” would be operated with a minimum flight regularity and punctuality of 90 per cent and 80 per cent respectively.

“Cancellation of domestic flights, if any, will only be made consequent upon technical reasons or forced majeure circumstances. “�the cancellations on the pretext of technical reasons will only be allowed subject to its confirmation from our Airworthiness Directorate,” the PCAA warned.

The authority said commercial interest in operating international flight operations could be enticing in the current times; it was the duty of PCAA to uphold the spirit of public convenience.

“In the same connection, an adequate balance between domestic flight operations and international flight operations is mandatory which does not only follow along the vision contained in the National Aviation Policy-2019 but also allows airline operators to fulfill the obligations towards our traveling public,” the authority said.