Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cancelled nine flights and delayed eighteen others on Sunday. This major operational disruption marks the sixth consecutive day of a stalemate between the national carrier and its aircraft engineering staff.
The dispute originates from a protest by the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP). The engineers are demanding better work conditions and have raised critical safety-related grievances.
By 5 PM Sunday, the airline’s operations were severely impacted. Technical issues and a shortage of spare parts directly caused the cancellations and delays.
The cancelled international routes included flights between Abu Dhabi and Peshawar, as well as multiple routes connecting Dubai with Karachi and Faisalabad. Domestic cancellations severely affected travel between Islamabad, Gilgit, and Skardu. Furthermore, eighteen other flights, both domestic and international, experienced significant delays of up to ten hours.
Read: PIA Dismisses Two Senior Engineers Amid Ongoing Flight Disruption
The conflict intensified last week after PIA management dismissed the president and secretary general of the SAEP. The airline issued a notification stating the officials failed to appear for scheduled personal hearings. This disciplinary action prompted other labor groups to voice their support for the engineers. The Air League and the Officers’ Association issued a joint statement condemning the dismissals as “retaliatory action.”
Air League President Shamim Akmal noted that raising passenger safety concerns should not be treated as a punishable act. The Officers’ Association subsequently demanded the immediate reinstatement of the SAEP officials and urged management to resolve the issue through dialogue.
PIA management has accused the engineers’ body of attempting to “sabotage the airline’s privatisation.” A spokesperson stated last week that
