KARACHI: The protest by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft engineers entered its second day on Wednesday, resulting in the cancellation of seven flights and delays to 39 others across the country. The engineers are demonstrating against stagnant salaries and alleged administrative pressure.
According to the president of the Aircraft Engineers’ Association, engineers are angered by the behavior of the airline’s CEO. Meanwhile, a PIA spokesperson said the management would not allow any disruption to operations.
In response, the PIA CEO has ordered strict action against the protesting engineers, with the administration emphasizing that the Essential Services Act is in effect warning that striking or refusing to work could lead to legal consequences.
Flight Status at Major Airports Across Pakistan
Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore
- Flight PK-303 from Lahore to Karachi has been cancelled.
- Flight PA-305 to Karachi is delayed by six hours.
- Flight PA-248 from Dammam to Lahore is delayed by twenty-two hours.
- Flight PK-302 from Karachi to Lahore has been cancelled.
Islamabad International Airport
- Flight PK-601 from Islamabad to Gilgit has been cancelled.
- Flight PK-741 from Islamabad to Jeddah is delayed by four hours.
- Flights from Islamabad to Karachi and Skardu are also facing delays.
- Two flights from Gilgit to Islamabad, PK-602 and PK-604, have been cancelled.
Jinnah International Airport, Karachi
- Flights PK-302 and PK-306 from Karachi to Lahore have been cancelled.
- Flight PK-501 from Karachi to Turbat is delayed.
- Flight PK-304 from Karachi to Lahore is delayed by ten hours.
- Flight PK-370 from Karachi to Islamabad is delayed by three hours.
Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar
- Flight PK-218 from Peshawar to Doha is delayed by eighteen hours.
- Flight PK-286 from Doha to Peshawar is also delayed by eighteen hours.
Sources revealed that PIA management has offered to hold talks with the engineers to resolve the dispute. Both sides have reportedly established contact, and the airline has assured the engineers of its willingness to settle issues through dialogue. PIA has also requested engineers to clear aircraft for essential flights, and according to insiders, the engineers have agreed to do so.
Due to the ongoing protest, PIA’s flight operations remain severely affected nationwide. The Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP) representatives stated that work will not resume until the CEO changes his approach.
The engineers had been wearing black armbands for the past two and a half months as a peaceful protest. However, SAEP sources said that despite their repeated efforts, the management remained unwilling to engage. Their demands include an increase in salaries frozen for the last eight years and the resolution of spare parts shortages for aircraft maintenance.
Engineers further alleged that they were pressured to clear aircraft for flights in violation of safety regulations and to compromise on safety by skipping parts replacements. Sources added that a recent incident involved an engineer being assaulted for refusing to clear a flight to Canada without proper compliance. SAEP representatives emphasized that they would not endanger passengers’ lives due to management pressure and clarified that they are not opposed to PIA’s privatization but in fact support it.
Meanwhile, PIA management has begun seeking replacement engineers, claiming that SAEP has no legal status and that the ongoing protest is aimed at sabotaging the airline’s privatization process, which is in its final stages.
