Monetary dispute: KSA authority warns of putting curbs on PIA

The national carrier blames media for blowing the matter out of proportion.

LAHORE/ KARACHI:

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued a warning to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to immediately clear its dues or face possible restriction on flights to the kingdom, officials said.

The warning follows an eight-year old dispute, which revolves around parking charges which the PIA has to pay for using Saudi airports.

According to Express News, the restrictions on PIA can come as early as April 18 if the dues amounting to 500,000 riyals are not paid immediately.

However, the PIA spokesman claimed on Wednesday that the airline would continue its flight operations to Saudi Arabia and as such there was no question of any disruption of flights due to parking payments as aired by a section of news channels.

“Parking payments to civil aviation authorities the world over is a continuous and ongoing process not only for the PIA but for all airlines and does not result in stoppage of flight operations,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

He said a section of electronic media had been giving the impression that the PIA flights to Saudi Arabia might be disrupted due to accrued payments. “This is not only false but misleading and tantamount to tarnishing and damaging image of the PIA,” he said.

He said the PIA always paid for parking aircraft to civil aviation authorities at different airports in different countries and paid Saudi Civil Aviation Authority as well. “However, the said small amount which relates to year 2004 concerning parking charges is under dispute and being settled with the authorities,” he said, adding that the issue had been blown out of proportion by a section of the electronic media.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2014.