PIA Ban info in the UK press

[pkjet]

Boeing Boeing Gone.........

BRITISH Asians are likely to face travel chaos after 35 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes were banned from flying into this country and the rest of Europe.

PIA’s Boeing 747s and Airbus 310s were blacklisted by the European Union (EU) because of safety concerns. It leaves just seven Boeing 777 planes free to operate in and out of Britain – planes normally used for routes to North America.

The news will leave Britons who booked flights with PIA anxious because the airline may not have enough aircraft to meet its commitment to passengers. PIA has admitted that it will cut “15 per cent to 20 per cent” of its European routes – more details will be revealed. The state-run airline will consider leasing planes and crew to cope with demand.

Ingo Marowsky, secretary for International Transport Federation’s civil aviation section, a group that called for a boycott of PIA last year over its alleged poor treatment of passengers, said: “This is a symptom of the same malaise: a government that thinks it can escape its obligations, whether on labour rights or core safety standards.”

Nasir Jamal, PIA’s publicity manager, said: “The Chairman pointed out at the meeting [with the EU on March 2] that... PIA had a better safety record than even certain major European Airlines. It was clearly not in keeping with the recognised progress that PIA had made to meet EU’s air safety criteria.

“PIA has already undertaken measures to mitigate the effect of this operational restriction in the EU countries and assures its customers that it will endeavour to minimize any dislocation and resultant inconvenience that may be caused to them and further assures them that it would continue to provide them safe and reliable air travel.”

At the meeting, PIA assured EU that its planes, some of which are 25 years old, will be modernised. Last year, EU’s Air Safety Committee warned PIA that its planes were not meeting safety criteria.

From easterneyeuk.co.uk and asianleader.co.uk

[PK777]

With the banning, many EU airlines can try and take away the market share of PIA! BA can increase its flight to ISB and even start LHE to take passengers back to UK. Maybe, Virgin could join in to gain some of the market share.

[FMC]

At the meeting, PIA assured EU that its planes, some of which are 25 years old, will be modernised.
I think the average age of PIA's old guards should be reduced. A 50+ average can only bring shame and embarrasement by churning out copies of the same master disk.
Have the lap tops been located?