UK temporarily bans PIA's cargo service, forces airline to suspend EU deliveries
The ban was unexpected after the British Transportation Department had 'validated' the airline's operations just last month, a PIA spokesperson said.
"We are contesting their decision. Our officials met British counterparts in London today to try and figure out what has happened," PIA spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar said.
After last months validation, another team of English experts was supposed to visit Pakistan to give the final nod of approval to the airline. Instead, a decision to stop the airline's cargo service was taken.
As per EU protocols, the assessment of the British officials will be accepted by all the members of European Union.
The temporary ban follows a deadly attack on Karachi airport and another aircraft coming under attack while landing at Peshawar airport. But PIA officials claim that it was strange that no such restriction has been imposed on other private airlines operating out of Pakistan.
A delegation of PIA officials led by Director Flight Operations Salman Azhar are now expected to take up the issue with officials in England on July 31.
PIA does not have any dedicated plane for cargo. But it uses Boeing-777 and Airbus-310 aircrafts to haul cargo overseas.
The airlines' has a cargo business to EU of around Rs2 billion.
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The average age of Air India's Boeing 777-300 series is around 5-6 years. AI sold the 777-200 series were sold to Ethiad airlines. All are in excellent shape. May be PIA airplanes are disallowed in Europe for some other reasons. Thanks for you research. Good Job.
@Dipak: PIA's B777 are only 7 years old, which is as old as aircraft flown by Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, British AIr, Air France etc and definitely lesser in age than same type of aircrafts in use by Air India. This problem must be with issues of scanning cargo, or their loading etc or their contents not configuring to load manifest, but nothing to do with age of aircraft. As far as age of Cargo fleets of many American Airlines and even those registered by EU are concerned, their average fleet life is more than 18 years. What PIA and CAA needs is professional management and at helm, not political cronies that are presently running them. If CAA was staffed with competent and experienced officers doing supervisory assignments, who were not on deputation from the airlines under its jurisdiction, than the Regulatory Body can perform its regulatory functions properly and save this country such embarrassments. As for the terrorists attacks on Karachi Airport, they were confined to Gerrys, and not PIA Cargo, which is relatively more secure.
"UK temporarily bans PIA's cargo service, forces airline to suspend EU deliveries" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The question is whwteher the ban will be lifted earlier or PIA will disappear first.
@Dipak:
PIA doesn't have a cargo fleet :-)
Dipak@SAL: You missed the point. We talking about Cargo Fleet.
@Dipak: Very Funny! PIA's Boeing 777 and Airbus 310 are NOT old, and, are certified by EU countries. On the contrary Air India's Boeing 777 & 787 are seen parked and problems being resolved at foreign and domestic airports. I think that AI should ground it's fleet due un safe aircraft's under instructions from NTSB of USA and EU countries. The most complaints on B787 comes from AI as compared to to other flag carriers.
Modern wide bodied passenger planes are capable of carrying cargo upto 30 tonnes in their bellies, in case there are fewer passenger loads or short distances to fly. The extra revenue so earned is used to offset operating costs. Airlines operating direct to Europe from Pakistan were required to be ACC3 compliant, a cargo scanning system, by July 2014. PIA might have done some cost benefit analysis and decided not aquire one of their own. PIA however can outsource cargo scanning to Gerrys, Shaheen or Shaheen Airport services, no big issue. PIA has already cut down its operations to Europe drastically, hence, it does not matter much.
@Raj-USA Couldn't agree with you more. Fear about potential terrorist attack through PIA cargo is the most likely explanation. Other reasons are given to cover up.
"UK temporarily bans PIA's cargo service, forces airline to suspend EU deliveries" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ EU help to cut down PIA Losses.
@taj-dholakpur: "Man you keep commenting all the day. Worthless guy." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Reading ur comments about another commentator leaves me in no doubt about ur worth.
Another accrued "benefit" (and consequence) from the grand geopolitical strategy of using terrorists as instruments of foreign policy.
@Raj - USA: Don't let your imagination run too wild. People like you seem to be lying in waiting drooling at the prospect of jeering at Pakistan.
The ban is because of [insert scandalous rumour here]
this is just to stop of our mango exports.... once the mango season is gone the ban would be lifted. its a non-tarif trade barrier .. a WTO complaint may be helpful.
@taj-dholakpur: @Raj – USA: Man you keep commenting all the day..... How do you know that, unless you keep reading them all day?
The ban is due to security concerns. Allegedly, the cargo out of Pakistan is not screened to the required standard.
A friend I have in PIA told me the rumor is that they have been importing banned narcotics into the UK.
I say ban PIA totally. Just give salaries to its corrupt and incompetent people at their homes. This would save this poor country tens of billions of rupees in corruption and other losses every month incurred on this low flying den of corruption and incompetence
@Raj - USA: True
Conspiracy to steal Pakistan's nukes !
Do they fear that Talibans and terrorists of Pakistan will use PIA cargo planes to carry bombs and nuclear material to UK and EU? May be.
The ban is imposed because PIA lacks air worthy planes. The PIA does not have reliable cargo fleet and European countries do not want unreliable planes flying in their countries.
@unbelievable: the Karachi attack has zero to do with the ban.......................................................................................................................................
which civilized country of the world would want to experience another 9/11?
Why???
Basic journalism?
Would have been nice had the author indicated exactly why the ban was imposed - mentioning the Karachi attack has zero to do with the ban.