The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued notice to five operatorsincluding Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for canceling scheduleddomestic flights.
In a statement on Tuesday, the aviation authority said that it has receivedseveral complaints that the airlines have been canceling domestic flightson the pretext of ‘operational reasons.’
“It has come to our notice through various public complaints and feedbackforums that airline operators engaged in the operation of scheduleddomestic flights within Pakistan have been canceling confirmed scheduleddomestic flights,” it said.
The authority noted that these airlines, after canceling domesticoperations, utilize spared aircraft to conduct international charteredoperations in lieu of scheduled domestic flights.
According to the CAA, 383 domestic flights had been canceled from 1 to 18October, making 33.4 percent of the total domestic flights.
“Prior to requesting any permission for international chartered flights,airline operators will submit an undertaking to this office that domesticflight schedule approved for any ongoing scheduling season(s) will beoperated with a minimum flight regularity and punctuality of 90% and 80%respectively,” it added.
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The authority clarified that the cancelation of domestic flights will onlybe allowed on technical reasons, confirmed by Airworthiness Directorate, orunder ‘force majeure circumstances.’
“Commercial interest in operating international flight operations may beenticing in the current times but it is the duty of Pakistan CAA to upholdthe spirit of public convenience and necessity,” it added.
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