“Airworthiness” Barrier to Flights: Engineers Refuse to Compromise on Safety
The ongoing dispute between Pakistan’s national airline and its aircraft engineers has adversely affected air traffic across the country.
After the engineers refused to grant take-off clearance for aircraft that had not yet been declared airworthy, many flights were cancelled and several others faced long delays.
The Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP) stated that its members “prioritise passenger safety above all else” and would “under no circumstances compromise on technical standards.”
SAEP: “We Will Not Bow to Pressure”
The association announced that six engineers stationed at Peshawar’s Bacha Khan International Airport were recently transferred to Karachi but have continued to carry out their duties.
In its statement, SAEP said:
“Our members will not yield to any administrative pressure. Passenger safety will never be compromised. Aircraft will only be cleared for take-off when they are technically airworthy.”
Salaries, Spare Parts, and Working Conditions at the Heart of the Crisis
The engineers’ main demands include:
- Updating salaries that have not been increased for eight years,
- Timely procurement of aircraft spare parts,
- Improvement of maintenance conditions.
Association officials argued that the airline management has long ignored chronic technical deficiencies and staff shortages.
Only Two Flights Operated, Dozens Cancelled
During the protests, engineers from a private company cleared only two flights for departure:
- Peshawar – Jeddah
- Islamabad – Dammam
Meanwhile, many other flights were either cancelled or delayed:
- Karachi–Lahore flights PK302 and PK306 were cancelled,
- Flight PK304 operated after a 10-hour delay,
- Karachi–Islamabad flight PK370 was delayed by 3 hours,
Peshawar–Doha (PK218) and Doha–Peshawar (PK286) flights were delayed by 18 hours.
Airline Management Remains Silent
The national airline’s management has not yet issued an official statement, while industry sources warn that if the issue is not resolved soon, further cancellations may follow.
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