Pakistan International banned from Europe

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  • SimonS1
    Participant

    Initially for 6 months.

    Seems to be a suggestion some pilots were operating with unofficial licenses, cheating in exams plus corruption at the regulatory authority. Perhaps bought to a head by those two clowns that managed to crash the A320 recently in Karachi due to basic pilot errors.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/30/eu-bans-pakistan-national-airline-flights-over-pilot-exam-cheats

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    bluemooner
    Participant

    Good to know, as I live under the flight path into Manchester Airport, where PIA flights were just about the only international flights coming into MAN in April May and early June!!!! At least there was little else in the sky, to get in the way.
    Clearly the transitional arrangements with the EU don’t stretch to a common policy on who is fit to fly!!!!


    SimonS1
    Participant

    [quote quote=1003050]Clearly the transitional arrangements with the EU don’t stretch to a common policy on who is fit to fly!!!![/quote]

    ?? It does….the ban started on 1st July in UK as well.


    Stevescoots
    Participant

    Vietnam (and malaysia) recently suspended several Pakistani pilots for fake licences concerns pending investigation

    https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-asks-pakistan-to-verify-12-pilots-qualifications-4122878.html


    capetonianm
    Participant

    https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/aviation-authority-looks-at-how-saa-pilot-got-away-with-flying-with-fake-licence-20190301

    SAA too, although it ended up that although he was fired, and rightly so, he didn’t have a ‘fake’ licence, he had the wrong category of ATPL, or lacked currency, I forget which. The airline maintained that ‘safety was not compromised’. I’m not so sure.


    Johnnyg
    Participant

    It appears it isn’t just pilots who have been affected.

    Kuwait Airways has grounded all 7 Pakistani pilots and suspended 56 engineers and ground handling staff. Similar reports from Qatar, Oman, Emirates and Vietnam


    bluemooner
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1003072][/postquote]

    Sorry, thought this was just EU.
    Good to know.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Some may recall it was the same situation with Alitalia some years ago. I know an ex AZ captain who now lives in SA who has retired on full pension some years ago, but never had a license! Seems incredible and I certainly don’t condone it but he say’s he went through all the checks, type ratings, medicals etc and flew safely for 30 odd years as did many of his colleagues. Amazingly he was also a check pilot!!! You have to laugh if it wasn’t so serious.

    I find it all rather worrying and am amazed there were not more accidents and wonder just how many other airlines have, or are, flying with unlicensed pilots!! There was also the old joke as to why the Pope kissed the ground when he arrived by Alitalia. Now we know why….

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    transtraxman
    Participant

    This raises the question about what the country authorities or EU by extension should do to sanction such activity.
    It is one thing for the “pilots – aircrew” to get away with such activity , but it is another to sanction all the bodies involved.

    Apart from the individuals themselves, next comes the airline and the relevant departments with the individuals in charge. Is there no system in place to find out such discrepencies/anomalies within the airline? Is it a case of bribery and corruption?
    Then above the airline you have the Pakistani authorities who, obviously do not have means (or willingness?) to uncover such activities. There is an obvious failure in the system to find out about these cases.

    ALL are responsible and ALL should be sanctioned. Here we are talking about the basic needs [safety] of passengers [and others – other aircrew and innocent people on the ground]. There should be no sweeping under the mat. Maximum sanctions for all should be applied – the so called “pilots” plus anyone else in the chain of command, plus the airline itself, plus the country, Pakistan, and all who had a finger in the pie. A worldwide example must be made – such corruption should not be permitted to filter through nor extend itself elsewhere.

    3 users thanked author for this post.

    cwoodward
    Participant

    Great story LuganoPirate.
    I rather suspect that 30 odd years ago there would have been more than a few unlicenced pilots about. Friends in the industry have mentioned that there are currently a good number of unlicensed pilots flying for carriers from some of the smaller less developed Asian countries. They also mention that a few years back it was fairly simple to ‘buy’ a licence in several countries in Asia and Eastern.Some of these people would still be flying and i’m pretty sure that I have flown with a couple of them !
    This is an interesting read:
    https://disciplesofflight.com/flying-without-a-license-pilot-conmen/

    3 users thanked author for this post.

    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Fascinating article Cwoodward. Thanks for sharing it.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    It was supposed to be a ban lasting six months initially.

    But a few hours ago today PIA announced it will be restarting three UK routes from August 14.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    PIA is still banned.

    The flights to UK will be “operated by European planes and foreign pilots” – presumably that means pilots that have real licenses.

    No idea who but some suggestions around that it could be Turkish Airlines who signed a codeshare agreement earlier this week.

    https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/07/30/pia-hires-european-planes-foreign-pilots-to-restore-uk-operation/

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    openfly
    Participant

    If TK are to operate the PK routes then I hope that the U.K. CAA check their licences!!

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