PHOTO: AFP/FILE
PIA pilots on Tuesday agreed to resume operating flights after the management of the national flag carrier, during a meeting chaired by the aviation division secretary, accepted their demand to provide them and other crewmembers with personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow other standard operating procedures (SOPs) in connection with the coronavirus pandemic.
The Pakistan Airline Pilots’ Association (Palpa) had asked pilots to halt flight operations after crewmembers of a special PIA flight operated to bring back stranded Pakistanis from Canada were placed in isolation by the Sindh health authorities upon their arrival in Karachi from Toronto on Sunday. They later tested positive for Covid-19.
The standoff between the PIA and the association led to the cancellation of flight PK-9813, which was scheduled to fly from Islamabad to Baghdad on Tuesday to bring back 161 Pakistanis gathered at the Baghdad airport from various Iraqi cities.
Three domestic PIA flights, PK-605 and PK-607 for Gilgit and PK-451 for Skardu, were also cancelled a day earlier because of the association’s boycott.
The two sides reached an agreement during a meeting chaired by Aviation Division Secretary Hassan Nasir Jamy.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, the representatives of Palpa informed the aviation secretary about their apprehensions over the safety measures taken in the wake of the viral outbreak.
The aviation secretary assured them that the government would ensure that all necessary steps were taken for the safety of pilots and other crewmembers.
“The airline will be responsible for providing PPE to the cockpit and cabin crew with immediate effect,” the statement read.
Besides the provision of PPE to crewmembers, planes will be disinfected.
Pilots will monitor the disinfection process and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) inspector will issue clearance certificate for it.
If a pilot is not satisfied with the disinfection process, they can refuse to fly the plane.
“The pilot in-command will ensure to his/her satisfaction the implementation of the SOPs issued by CAA and a certificate countersigned/verified by a CAA inspector from the Directorate of Flight Standards and Directorate of Airworthiness,” the statement added.
Flights will operate only upon “the satisfaction of the captain" and the airline will "not be held responsible",
"The unwillingness of the pilot will be informed in writing to the airline for issues related to COVID-19.”
The airline will ensure training and briefing of cabin crew and the relevant ground handling staff.
"The Government of Pakistan/PCAA directions of operations from designated facilities will be followed.”
According to sources, the association had approached the Prime Minister House to resolve its dispute with the PIA.
Earlier in a letter to its members, Palpa said safety was compromised and coronavirus-related SOPs were ignored on recently operated humanitarian flights.
The Palpa general secretary said the association would not compromise on the safety of its members under any circumstances.
Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the government was making an all-out effort for the immediate return of Pakistani expatriates waiting at different airports of the world.
He visited different sections of the Crises Management Unit functioning at the foreign affairs ministry.
Salman Athar, the director general of the unit, briefed the minister about the performance of the cell, according to a press release.
The minister reviewed the complaints received by the cell. He stressed the need for the whole nation to face the challenge of coronavirus through joint efforts.
(With additional input from APP)
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ