Karachi Airport's 'plane graveyard' attracts birds

KARACHI:

As the birds nest in the abandoned planes scattered across the tarmac at Jinnah Terminal Airport, alarms have been raised about the safety of the flights.

According to sources, the Karachi Airport runway and tarmac area have become a dumping ground for more than 30 defunct aircraft from various airlines over the years.

The situation has started to stir concerns as more birds take up residence in these abandoned planes, creating the risk of dangerous incidents. Despite years of neglect, no decision has been reached to remove these planes from sensitive areas.

The grounded aircraft include planes from both domestic and international airlines, including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Shaheen Air.

Among PIA's 13 derelict aircraft are Airbus 310s and Jumbo 747 double-deckers, which have been out of service for several years. Meanwhile, parts have gone missing from many of these planes, some of which have been idle at the airport for years.

Customs officials have requested a general declaration from PIA and other airlines. However, PIA's delay in providing the necessary documentation has stalled the issuance of a no-objection certificate (NOC) from customs.

A PIA spokesperson said that the removal process will begin once the NOC is issued, adding that three aircraft have already been removed from the airport.

On the other hand, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials maintain that they are in contact with all stakeholders and are offering full cooperation.

Measures, including the deployment of bird shooters, have been implemented to keep birds away from the airport's funnel area (the take-off and landing zones) and other sensitive locations, the officials added.