EU ban on PIA Airbuses may last till November

[javed]

Majority of people don't want to transit at airports, or change aircraft during their journey. Thus comes in PIA, a single plane service from North America to Pakistan. No transit, that is why Pakistanis would fly PIA 747s and avoid Emirates, Etihad or British Airways.

Specially the airports with long and dark alleys such as Heathrew and unfriendly airports that lack common sense e.g MAN, DXB, etc.

[javed]

If the ban on PIA airbuses and 747s remains until November, then non-stop flights between Pakistan and North America should not start.

Amaad, do work for Emirates ? Only a person with vested interests in a rival airline will propose that.

[FMC]

We pay for the mistakes(made in good faith)of our ancestors, and it seems only fair that they should leave us the MONEY to pay with.

[Abbas Ali]

In a GEO TV news report, Director General - Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Mr. Farooq Rahmatullah said that during next round of meeting with EU officials, scheduled to take place on June 26 in Brussels, PIA would try to get six of its refurbished Airbus A310-300s and two Boeing 747-300s included in the list of airline's aircraft allowed for operations into EU member countries.

Btw, there was a large beautiful model of PIA Boeing 747-200B in 1980s green & gold livery in the office of Director General CAA.

Related Topic: CAA and EU officials meet in Brussels

[mohammad abdulaziz]

In a GEO TV news report, Director General - Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Mr. Farooq Rahmatullah said that during next round of meeting with EU officials, scheduled to take place on June 26 in Brussels, PIA would try to get six of its refurbished Airbus A310-300s and two Boeing 747-300s included in the list of airline's aircraft allowed for operations into EU member countries.

Related Topic: CAA and EU officials meet in Brussels

Did he indicate the level of chances of success? or how confident was he looking?

[zerbaer]

When did the six aircraft get refurbished? At least two A310s are w/o engines!
Meantime B743/BFU, the one being refurbished since Nov 2006, is a sorry affair. As if all was wonderful on the RB211 engine side, PK had to demonstrate its largess for comrades & have sent one engine to Jordan/JALCO for overhaul!
Wonder what measures have been taken regarding the doubling of fleets' insurance premium, outcome of Ex Im visit, SAEP/PALPA joint bid for Engg joint venture etc etc.

[mohammad abdulaziz]

When did the six aircraft get refurbished? At least two A310s are w/o engines!
Meantime B743/BFU, the one being refurbished since Nov 2006, is a sorry affair. As if all was wonderful on the RB211 engine side, PK had to demonstrate its largess for comrades & have sent one engine to Jordan/JALCO for overhaul!
Wonder what measures have been taken regarding the doubling of fleets' insurance premium, outcome of Ex Im visit, SAEP/PALPA joint bid for Engg joint venture etc etc.

So you are predicting that EU ban will continue - so what is the solution for how long PIA could be allowed to incur loss of 4.0 Billion in each quarter.

[zerbaer]

No... I am not predicting anything. You have the evidence - The ban continues & according to PIA the airplanes would all be fixed by 28 March. That has not happened & there isn't any clear explanation or status given. The loses would be much lesser or the revenues could dramatically improve if your were operating at levels you are designed, budgeted (borrowed or not), manned, equipped, licensed,scheduled & obligated to perform & deliver.

What do you think is the matter or is going on?

[F.K]

i thought bfu is airworthy and the engines have been overhauled. as per the initial plan werent three 747s and 2 310s being maade ready for the upcoming inspection.whats the present status?

[chevron]

Met 310 F/O recently, and he says not much is being done in this regard.

[INSIDER]

Mr Khan, was in brussels and had a very good meeting with the EU, There is a rumour that PIA is going for Airbus aircraft for the replacement of B737 and due this PIA is getting EU clearence. Initially they will get few aircraft cleared and then rest.

[CombiFan]

Lifting of partial ban is likely by mid july. The preliminary meeting in Brussels went well on 14 june and hopefully the next one will be decisive.

Frankfurt will be first to be back online.

[zerbaer]

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=61015


PIA flights to EU may resume soon

By Saad Hasan

KARACHI: The European Aviation Safety Agency is likely to lift the ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft when aviation authorities of the 27-nation bloc meet later this month.

Officials from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) met their European counterparts on June 14 and presented an action plan for removing the deficiencies in PIA’s B-747s and A-310s, The News learnt on Monday.

German Consul-General in Karachi Hans-Joachim Kiderlen said the CAA’s action plan was encouraging. He, however, could not tell if any European Union (EU) inspection team was expected to visit Pakistan before the final decision.

“Measures listed by the CAA have been received well by the EU,” he said, hoping that the flying ban on PIA aircraft would be lifted soon since the airline was suffering huge losses on account of the ban.

After being barred from EU states earlier this year, PIA had to reroute its 35 aircraft to other countries. Since then, a more vigilant CAA has been asking PIA to undertake a host of steps to improve condition of its aircraft.

CAA Director-General Farooq Rehmatullah said: “Things are moving in the right direction and the final outcome of the whole exercise will be known on June 26 when EU officials meet.” If the restriction is removed, the national flag carrier will have the option to fly any of its 42 aircraft on European routes. Now it operates only the seven B-777s to EU destinations, some of which are very profitable for it. But now PIA is incurring over Rs1 billion losses per month because of the EU ban.

While the airline has recently succeeded in securing government-guaranteed half-a-billion dollar loan to acquire three B-777s, the first delivery is not expected before next year. PIA has also submitted a summary to the government to let it hedge fuel as world oil prices continue to move erratically. In year 2006, PIA suffered a loss of Rs13.2 billion, partly blamed on high oil prices and the airline’s inability to hedge fuel.

[chevron]

Mr Khan, was in brussels and had a very good meeting with the EU, There is a rumour that PIA is going for Airbus aircraft for the replacement of B737 and due this PIA is getting EU clearence. Initially they will get few aircraft cleared and then rest.

If EU ban is being lifted by ordering A-320s to please the EU, then we can be looking forward to US/Canada ban by US authorities for not buying 737s.

[aviatmani]

i had heard 26th june (tOday) was the date when EU was to decide whether to lift the ban...

any updates on that!?