KARACHI: UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) team arrived here to review safety measures for restoration of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to European countries. UK aviation team has reached Pakistan on 7-day visit to conduct remote safety audit of Pakistan International Airlines and Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).

Following UK aviation team, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is also scheduled to conduct safety audit of Pakistan International Airlines and Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority on March 7. Audit will determine airworthiness of PIA and whether it will regain access to European airspace.

European Union Aviation Safety Agency is an agency of European Union with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitoring. Successful audit would allow PIA and other private airlines of country to restart flights to EU.

Earlier, United Kingdom refused to lift ban on Pakistan International Airlines flights, expressing its safety reservations to country’s Civil Aviation Authority. Restrictions were imposed in wake of May 20, 2022, Karachi plane crash and statement by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar that around 40 percent of Pakistani pilots had fake licences.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 09 2023

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