Five bird hits in 25 days at Peshawar airport ring alarm bells at CAA

Meat shops, garbage piles pose threat to civil, military aircraft at Bacha Khan International Airport

PESHAWAR: Meat shops and garbage piles around Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) has irked the airport management since bird-hit incidents are increasingly reported by international airlines operating from the facility.

Civil Aviation Authority received five complaints during the last 25 days of similar incidents asking upon the concerned officials to take action since such incidents could prove fatal for not only commercial flights but the military at the same time.

CAA officials informed that the district administration was supposed to take action however the CAA also held several meetings besides awareness sessions and distributing pamphlets among meat shop owners and local residents.

Officials stated that despite having been brought into the notice of district administration, the issue could not be resolved.

“This should not be taken lightly since we fear this airline might refuse operations from the facility,” a senior CAA official informed adding “this is the only facility in the province and we don’t want these airlines refuse operations from BKIA.”

They said that CAA has been trying to manage things but the district administration was supposed to maintain a smooth flow of air traffic, should take serious action. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2019.