• International flights from Abu Dhabi, Dubai affected.
• Nine PIA flights cancelled, 18 others delayed.
• Air League, Officers’ Association supports engineers.
  

KARACHI: Multiple flights of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) were cancelled and several others delayed as the dispute between the national carrier and its engineering staff entered its sixth day, sources said on Sunday.

The issue stems from the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan’s (SAEP) protest over work conditions and safety-related grievances.

As of 5pm, PIA had cancelled nine flights and delayed 18 others due to technical issues and the unavailability of spare parts.

The cancelled international flights included those from Abu Dhabi to Peshawar, Dubai to Karachi, and Faisalabad to Dubai.

PIA flights from Dubai to Faisalabad and Peshawar to Dubai also faced cancellation.

Domestic cancellations included flights between Gilgit and Islamabad, as well as Skardu and Islamabad in both directions.

The dispute also resulted in 18 domestic and international flights experiencing delays of up to ten hours.

The stalemate between the PIA management and its engineering staff worsened last week after the national carrier dismissed the president and secretary general of the SAEP.

A November 6 notification announced the two officials’ dismissal after they failed to appear for personal hearings on November 4 and 5 before the airline’s chief executive officer.

Meanwhile, the Air League, a labour representative union, and the Officers’ Association announced support for the aircraft engineers.

In a joint statement, they condemned the dismissal of the SAEP officials, calling it a “blatant example” of “retaliatory action”.

Air League President Shamim Akmal noted that PIA was going through a sensitive period amid long-standing issues of “corruption and financial mismanagement”.

However, he said that raising concerns for passengers’ safety has now been treated as a punishable act.

The Officers’ Association demanded the immediate reinstatement of SEAP officials, while urging the PIA management to resolve issues through dialogue.

PIA management had accused the aircraft engineers’ body of attempting to “sabotage the airline’s privatisation”.

Last week, a PIA spokesperson said that the SAEP’s move to walk off the job after raising a “safety issue” was a deliberate attempt to disrupt operations and pressure the administration.