RAWALPINDI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday said it had “partially restored flight operations” after three days of disruptions caused by an ongoing protest from aircraft engineers represented by the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP).
The dispute between the airline’s management and the engineers’ association has led to significant delays and cancellations of both domestic and international flights at major airports across the country.
According to PIA officials, six flights were cancelled on Wednesday to accommodate delayed departures. The issue began Monday night when aircraft engineers refused to issue clearance certificates, grounding several aircraft and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded, particularly those scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia.
PIA management accused the engineers of being on strike, while SAEP representatives rejected that claim, saying they were on duty but unwilling to release aircraft without completing all mandatory safety checks. “We cannot compromise on safety and airworthiness,” said SAEP Secretary General Awais Jadoon, stressing that engineers were only certifying aircraft that were fully fit for flight.
The PIA spokesman confirmed that SAEP’s president and general secretary had been summoned for a final hearing related to an ongoing investigation. “PIA will take legal action against them as per the law,” the spokesman said, adding that flight operations were being restored through alternative arrangements and expressing hope for a full return to normal soon.
Jadoon maintained that the engineers were not called for negotiations but for a “personal inquiry” instead, alleging that management was pressuring them to issue clearance certificates. He reiterated that the engineers’ stance was based on ensuring passenger safety and not on industrial action, as the standoff continued to disrupt PIA’s flight schedule for a third consecutive day.
