ISLAMABAD: Internet services at the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) head office have remained suspended for the past 24 hours causing severe blow to its ticketing and booking services.
According to sources, the outage has disrupted operations across all departments of the national carrier. The suspension reportedly occurred after a fire broke out at the airline’s data centre, damaging the UPS battery system.
As a result, online services including flight bookings have been badly affected.
It may be recalled that a dispute between the PIA management and the Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SEAP) has already intensified, leading to serious technical and maintenance issues for the airline.
Sources said several aircraft remain grounded due to mechanical faults and maintenance delays, causing a significant rise in flight cancellations and delays.
A spokesperson added that many international and domestic flights are also facing major delays. He urged the management to ensure the immediate availability of skilled technical staff and establish an effective supply chain for spare parts and components to help restore flight operations.
It merits mentioning that yesterday PIA had terminated the services of Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SEAP) President Abdullah Khan Jadun and Secretary General Owais Khan Jadun amid an ongoing dispute that has already affected flight operations nationwide.
According to official letters, both officials were given the opportunity to appear for personal hearings on November 4 and 5 as part of an inquiry launched earlier in 2024. However, the airline said neither appeared before the PIA chief executive officer. The inquiry later recommended their dismissal in accordance with PIA regulations.
