KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) canceled another 50 domestic and international flights as its fuel supply crisis entered the second week on Tuesday, a PIA spokesperson said, amid the government plans to privatize the national flag carrier.
PIA flights witnessed cancelations and delays last week after the state-run Pakistan State Oil (PSO) suspended its supply of fuel to the airline over unpaid dues. The national flag carrier, slated for privatization by the government, has amassed substantial losses and unpaid dues amounting to hundreds of billions of rupees in recent years.
The airline’s request for Rs23 billion ($76 million) in operational support was declined by the government, prompting Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to initiate a restructuring plan to stabilize the national flag carrier’s finances.
“Out of the 53 international and 27 domestic flights scheduled for today (Tuesday), the airline had to cancel 50 flights, which included 27 international and 23 domestic flights due to unavailability of fuel,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan told Arab News.
On Sunday, 70 PIA flights were canceled though the airline said it had made an advance payment of Rs220 million ($789,804) to PSO for the supply of fuel on Saturday and Sunday.
Arab News reached out to PSO spokesperson Naila Erum, but she did not respond to a request for comment.
Khan told Arab News over the weekend there were “slim chances of a full restoration of flight operations” considering the way fuel was being supplied and amid PSO’s refusal to allow any credit line or relaxation to “a fellow government organization.”
“However, our focus will now shift toward preserving our international operations, for which we can secure fuel from other sources, unlike in Pakistan, where we are bound to obtain fuel from PSO,” he said.
The PIA spokesperson had apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the airline’s row with PSO.
“We would urge our valued customers to keep their patronage of their beloved brand,” he said. “We have dealt with graver challenges in the past 75 years and each time we have risen back up in the face of adversity to serve this great nation in the hour of need.”
PIA’s fuel crisis comes at a time when it is aiming to resume flights to the United Kingdom within the next two months.
PIA flights to Europe and the UK have been grounded since 2020, following the EU Aviation Safety Agency’s revocation of the airline’s authorization to fly to the bloc due to a pilot licensing scandal.
