EU set to ban most PIA Planes

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Abbas Ali
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Post by Abbas Ali »

PIA clarification now also posted on airline's official website on following link:

Link: http://www.piac.com.pk/PIA_About/pr_24Feb07.asp
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Post by Abbas Ali »

CAA not contacted by EU on ‘flying ban plan’

By Saad Hasan

KARACHI:
The aviation regulator of Pakistan has not received any advice from European Union (EU) on airworthiness and safety issues concerning Pakistan International Airlines’ aircraft, DG Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Farooq Rehmatullah told The News on Monday.

“CAA is the regulator; they (EU) can only advise us if there is anything wrong with any (PIA) aircraft,” he said responding to queries regarding report of an impending ban on all but seven planes of the national flag carrier.

A report appeared last weekend from Brussels that EU was contemplating banning PIA aircraft from flying to the 27-nation bloc for failing to meet international safety standards. “PIA is an independent airline, how can they ban it,” Rehmatullah questioned, saying it was the prerogative of CAA to take action against the airline and EU authorities can only inform the regulator if there was anything wrong.

Asked if CAA has tried to inquire from EU about the report, he said: “What is the need for us to conduct an inquiry (into the report) when they haven’t written to us so far.” PIA has also turned down the reported ban, saying it was unaware of any such EU decision. It is for the second time in less than a year that reports have surfaced regarding possible ban on PIA aircraft and subsequently denied by Pakistani aviation authorities, which maintain none of its planes were ever debarred from flying to EU states.

However, due to maintenance requirement the B-747 aircraft was withdrawn from European destinations last year to avoid external observations, a PIA media brief said. This led to re-routing of a Toronto flight via Manchester to make up for less airplanes.

The brief, distributed during the February 6 press conference of PIA chairman, said a B-777 was leased from Malaysian Airlines and deployed to restore flights to the lucrative route of Manchester in the wake of shortfall created due to non-availability of PIA’s own aircraft.

“Within the next couple of months, new Boeing 777 airplanes will be added to the fleet and refurbished B-747s will be flying again,” it added. The national flag carrier intends to scale down average age of its 42-aircraft fleet from 21 years to 10 years by May 2007 with induction of new airplanes. Three 777-200 ERís and two 777-200 LR’s are already in the fleet.

The airline is in the process of leasing four more 777 aircraft and 7 ATRs, the brief said, adding that with leased aircraft and new acquisitions, PIA’s fleet strength will increase to 52 aircraft, after retiring or selling off the old planes.

Besides modernization and enlargement of aircraft fleet, the airline has adopted a number of cost-cutting measures to fly out of the losses it incurred last year largely due to increase in fuel cost.

It has put to auction its hotels in France and USA while some of the support services like flight kitchen are being outsourced. The state-run airline that suffers from huge employee to aircraft ratio of 410 employees per plane is also addressing the surplus workforce problem by downsizing in a phased manner to avoid political fallout.

Source: The News
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Abbas Ali
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Post by Abbas Ali »

Germany bans PIA’s A310s and 747s?

ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Republic of Germany has cast the first stone against the Pakistan International Airlines by banning its Airbus A310 and Boeing 747 aircraft from landing in Frankfurt, forcing PIA to cancel its flight PK761 today from Islamabad to Frankfurt via Istanbul and back via the same route. PIA sources told Daily Times that PK761 would fly to Istanbul at the scheduled departure time from Islamabad, and return to Islamabad the following day without going on to Frankfurt. It was learnt that PIA’s flights to Paris might also be affected shortly. Meanwhile, it has been found that PIA has been making efforts to legally defend itself against an anticipated EU decision to ban all but seven of its aircraft. PIA is also planning s alternative routes to North America.

Source: Daily Times
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atmalik
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Post by atmalik »

Abbas any response from PIA as yet regarding the ban by the German government as yet or not?
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Post by zerbaer »

Are all B777 automatically acceptable as compliant to EC?? One B777 inspected was found w/o insurance certificate! Wonder if the balance a/c will make it through the ramp inspections.
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Post by Viscount »

zerbaer wrote:Are all B777 automatically acceptable as compliant to EC?? One B777 inspected was found w/o insurance certificate! Wonder if the balance a/c will make it through the ramp inspections.
EC standards- PIA Engineering's fall from grace. AVM Gul will 'gul' the PIA's charagh.
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Post by m2hassan »

the fact of the matter is .. last year .. a 777 was pounded by the German civil aviation at Frankfurt for failing to posses insurance papers.. EFB still running on test trial basis when the it shud have been fully operational for years now .. It was like a random audit on the aircraft and its crew... the aircraft was only released when interim measures were taken by the airline head office in Karachi and CAA. So, a ban is actually based on the airline lacking to provide adequate information and proper documentation. The aircrafts are air worthy but a simple requirment here and there .. can lead a long way to satisfying the authorities.
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Post by FMC »

m2hassan wrote:the fact of the matter is .. last year .. a 777 was pounded by the German civil aviation at Frankfurt for failing to posses insurance papers.. EFB still running on test trial basis when the it shud have been fully operational for years now .. It was like a random audit on the aircraft and its crew... the aircraft was only released when interim measures were taken by the airline head office in Karachi and CAA. So, a ban is actually based on the airline lacking to provide adequate information and proper documentation. The aircrafts are air worthy but a simple requirment here and there .. can lead a long way to satisfying the authorities.
So are the B747s!!
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Post by FULLTHRUST »

AVM Gul will 'gul' the PIA's charagh.
Meray chaman kay MAALI na aana haath khali (Brussels say)

Laar shap-e-khabar kamistor maala rawrra
Taaza taaza gulooona dre silor maala rawrra


Gul Sahab..Koi chamatkar dikhao!! :lol:
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Post by Abbas Ali »

Abbas Ali wrote:Germany bans PIA’s A310s and 747s?

ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Republic of Germany has cast the first stone against the Pakistan International Airlines by banning its Airbus A310 and Boeing 747 aircraft from landing in Frankfurt, forcing PIA to cancel its flight PK761 today from Islamabad to Frankfurt via Istanbul and back via the same route. PIA sources told Daily Times that PK761 would fly to Istanbul at the scheduled departure time from Islamabad, and return to Islamabad the following day without going on to Frankfurt. It was learnt that PIA’s flights to Paris might also be affected shortly. Meanwhile, it has been found that PIA has been making efforts to legally defend itself against an anticipated EU decision to ban all but seven of its aircraft. PIA is also planning s alternative routes to North America.

Source: Daily Times
Above news confirmed through a friend of mine in following message:
this day, a PIA A310 , was denied take off from istanbul for frankfurt as the european restrictions on older PIA planes came into effect 8 days prior to original date of 8th march 2007,

plane and pax still sitting at istanbul airport, 777 onroute to take pax to frankfurt,
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Post by Adnan Anwar »

Abbas Ali wrote:
Abbas Ali wrote:Germany bans PIA’s A310s and 747s?

ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Republic of Germany has cast the first stone against the Pakistan International Airlines by banning its Airbus A310 and Boeing 747 aircraft from landing in Frankfurt, forcing PIA to cancel its flight PK761 today from Islamabad to Frankfurt via Istanbul and back via the same route. PIA sources told Daily Times that PK761 would fly to Istanbul at the scheduled departure time from Islamabad, and return to Islamabad the following day without going on to Frankfurt. It was learnt that PIA’s flights to Paris might also be affected shortly. Meanwhile, it has been found that PIA has been making efforts to legally defend itself against an anticipated EU decision to ban all but seven of its aircraft. PIA is also planning s alternative routes to North America.

Source: Daily Times
Above news confirmed through a friend of mine in following message:
this day, a PIA A310 , was denied take off from istanbul for frankfurt as the european restrictions on older PIA planes came into effect 8 days prior to original date of 8th march 2007,

plane and pax still sitting at istanbul airport, 777 onroute to take pax to frankfurt,

Interesting, PIA is saying through press none of the aircrafts are banned while EU is implementing their ban already on all A310's.
Adnan Anwar
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Post by AP-BGJ »

yeah the management will never accept this where as the ban is in full swing....
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Post by AP-BGJ »

who are these ppl tryin to make fool of (these pia guys) instead of accepting the problem and facing it head on we r continously denying the facts and truth.
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Post by ali_khan »

Pakistani govt. should reciprocate by banning all EU aircraft from entering its airspace.
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EU set to ban most PIA planes

Post by VC10 »

How would that puerile suggestion be of any help tp PIA or it's passengers Ali? Besides such a move would require governmental intervention, something I'm sure Musharraff wants to avoid at all costs.
I agree with others on this forum who mention possible political agendas, but let's not get too carried away - after all the 747-200s are museum pieces.If this doesn't galvanise PIA management into action on urgent fleet renewal, nothing will.
Mike, Australia.