- Protest over held raises, spare parts shortage, pressure to breach rules.
- Airline CEO orders strict action; protest called illegal sabotage.
- Alternate engineering support arranged; flights to resume soon.
A dispute between Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) management and its aircraft engineers has brought flight operations to a near halt, as the disgruntled staff have stopped granting clearances, leaving planes grounded and causing widespread disruption for passengers across the country.
Sources said the engineers’ protest has severely disrupted flights. Since around 8pm on Monday, not a single international flight of the airline has been able to depart. Twelve international flights have been affected so far, leaving passengers in a difficult spot. A large number of them are Umrah pilgrims.
The Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan (SAEP) said its members would not return to work until the airline’s CEO changed his attitude. They’ve stopped issuing airworthiness clearance for the aircraft, the union said.
According to SAEP sources, the engineers had been wearing black armbands for almost two and a half months to press their demands.
They said that even during this long, peaceful protest, the airline’s management didn’t bother to sit down and talk to them.
Sources say the engineers haven’t received a raise in eight years, and the airline is facing a serious shortage of spare parts, alleging that the engineers are coerced to clear aircraft for flights in breach of aviation rules.
The SAEP said they could not put passengers’ lives at risk because of pressure from the airline’s management.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the national airline has ordered strict action against the aircraft engineers. He said any engineer responsible for disrupting operations will face tough measures.
On the other hand, a spokesperson for the national airline said the aircraft engineers’ body held no legal standing, and “the real aim of this movement is to sabotage the airline’s privatisation.”
He said calling it a “safety issue” and walking off the job at the same time was a deliberate act meant to trouble passengers and create unfair pressure on the administration.
“The Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1952, is in force at the national airline, which makes strikes or walkouts illegal,” the CEO said, adding that those taking part in or supporting such actions will face legal consequences.
He also said that the management was arranging engineering support from other airlines, and flights would begin departing soon.
