Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is experiencing major flight disruptions for a second consecutive day. A dispute between the airline’s management and its aircraft engineers has led to dozens of delayed and cancelled flights, stranding passengers across the country.
The protest has severely impacted operations at key airports in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Since Monday evening, multiple international flights have been unable to depart, and numerous domestic routes have been affected.
The Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP) states that its members are not on a formal strike. Instead, they are refusing to issue airworthiness certificates for aircraft they deem unfit to fly.
The union claims engineers have not received a pay raise in eight years. They also allege a critical shortage of spare parts and claim that management pressures them to clear aircraft in violation of safety regulations.
Read: PIA Flight Operations Halted Nationwide as Aircraft Engineers Protest
“We cannot put passengers’ lives at risk because of pressure from the airline’s management,” the SAEP stated. The union says its members will not return to normal duties until the airline’s CEO addresses their concerns.
The PIA management has taken a firm stance against the protest. The airline’s CEO has ordered strict disciplinary action against the engineers involved. A PIA spokesperson stated that the engineers’ body holds no legal standing. The management alleges the protest is a deliberate act to “sabotage the airline’s privatisation.”
The CEO invoked the Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1952, which makes strikes illegal at the national airline. He warned that participants would face legal consequences.
Management is attempting to mitigate the disruption by arranging engineering support from other airlines. The operational breakdown has left a significant number of passengers stranded. Among those affected are Umrah pilgrims, whose travel plans have been severely disrupted.
