By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: the European Aviation Safety Committee is set to begin in Brussels on November 19, 2024, where the potential resumption of Pakistani airlines, particularly Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), in European airspace will be discussed. The meeting will see participation from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), aviation officials from various European countries, and a delegation from Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
The CAA has reportedly finalized a plan to restore the operations of Pakistani airlines in European nations. This proposal aims to address the concerns that led to the initial restrictions, notably stemming from a 2020 scandal involving suspicious pilot licenses that resulted in a blanket ban on all Pakistani airlines, including PIA, from operating in Europe and the UK. In September 2024, the CAA informed EASA that it had met all the safety conditions required by the agency and formally requested the reinstatement of PIA’s flights to the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Sources indicate that several online technical sessions have taken place between CAA and EASA officials, during which the CAA briefed the European authorities on the measures taken to ensure aviation safety. These discussions, which lasted several hours, were focused on ensuring that PIA could resume flights to Europe and the UK. The CAA requested immediate permission from EASA to restore operations, following a demonstration that it had fully complied with the safety conditions set out by the agency.
