Slight collision with fuel vehicle delays PIA flight in Toronto

Spokesperson Mashood Tajwar says the refueling vehicle brushed past the plane’s engine

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) airplane at Pearson International Airport, Toronto, was partially damaged in a collision with a refueling vehicle.

According to PIA spokesperson Mashood Tajwar, the Lahore-bound aircraft brushed past the plane’s engine due to which the flight, PK-798, got delayed for 16 hours.

Passengers, he added, were provided with accommodation at a hotel in the city.

"PIA apologises for the delay and inconvenience caused to its passengers," he said, adding that PIA demanded a report on the incident from the company that provides services to the national airline at Toronto airport.

In August, the PIA inducted a long-range, wide-body and twin-engine jet Boeing 777-300 into its fleet. The aircraft can accommodate 400 passengers.

Tajwar said the latest induction had increased the fleet strength to 32 aircraft. “The national carrier will soon start flying to Najaf in Iraq,” he said.

The national carrier attracted one million passengers last year. It operates 120-130 flights a day, majority of which go to international routes.