PIA banned from European Airspace for 6 months

[zfw]

On twitter and Sky reporting now.

[esscee]

Only 6 months? It could be continually monitored and extended as necessary?

[Airbubba]

EU is banning Americans also, but their planes can come. ;)

[Hartington]

I thought the PIA ban was related to the discovery of a large number of fraudulent pilot licences in Pakistan. Does the USA have the same problem?

[Pistonprop]

Only 6 months? It could be continually monitored and extended as necessary?

I'm pretty sure that it will be so.

[Capt Scribble]

Garuda was a main line operator that was banned from EU airspace for some years in the naughties. EU rights were only reinstated after they could prove that robust 'quality' measures were in place.

[Blue-Shamrock 89]

The allegation regarding Pilots licensing is a pretty serious one I’d say. So I’m sure this ban will be in place until some strict measures are Proven to be working.

[nonsense]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1566153/pia-banned-from-flying-to-europe-for-six-months

[Spooky 2]

I thought the PIA ban was related to the discovery of a large number of fraudulent pilot licences in Pakistan. Does the USA have the same problem?

No that is not the US problem. The EU feels that the USA does not have adequate control over CV19 and now it's turned into a political issue on top of the medical problems. Amazing!

[parkfell]

EASA introducing a ban is the easier part of the equation.

The more difficult part will be the rehabilitation and removal of the ban, and then complying with what ever conditions EASA consider necessary.

[ex-EGLL]

Out of interest, is the ban only into EU airports, or does it cover EU airspace as well e.g NAT?

[Little One]

The ban is due to their failure to implement SMS

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1111x1587/img_4425_602ff9f41d3ddfb3bacbe647e64461aec9aa0de9.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1125x1571/img_4426_5f9123aec363d88d48b5f988387fe07924723d13.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1125x1599/img_4427_a1a64043acf3a7bf00151e09c7dcfc17a1873baa.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1125x1630/img_4428_6e5e3d566a16610c2017d52b079fa026305b0c50.jpg

[1-11days]

Am I right in assuming that the UK is still part of EASA and therefore PIA is also banned from UK airspace, or has our leaving the EU changed this somehow?

[VariablePitchP]

Problem is more the big bit of Europe in the way of getting from Pakistan to the U.K. I think. So in practical terms they can’t fly to the U.K. regardless of the Brexit cluster-fest.

[Klimax]

As soon as Cathay Pacific Airways are looking to recruit again - there will be a spot waiting for each and every PIA pilot, at this former legacy carrier. Don´t worry about the licencing issues.

[infrequentflyer789]

Still currently in EASA, see e.g.: https://www.easa.europa.eu/light/topics/united-kingdom

The interesting thing is that when the ban expires, UK will almost certainly no longer be in EASA, therefore presumably PIA would have to apply to un-ban themselves from both EASA and UK CAA. Uk might in-ban them unilaterally I guess, but if they can't cross EASA airspace that isn't much good.

Does (apparently, per Telegraph Sun and Mail, so some salt required...) solve about half of our current covid-import and quarantine problem quite neatly...

[Pilot DAR]

EASA letter, second page, third paragraph:

“….which revealed that more than 260 out of 860 pilot licenses issued by the Pakistani authorities and used by pilots operating for air operators certified in Pakistan are fraudulent.”

Interesting wording there, was it deliberate? Did EASA accuse the Pakistani authorities of issuing fraudulent licenses? It's one thing for a pilot to present a fraudulent license, it's a whole other thing if the authority issues it.... Or, should we infer that the license was issued legitimately, in good faith by the authority, based upon a fraudulent application, whose truth was not known by the authority?

[DaveReidUK]

EASA letter, second page, third paragraph:
“….which revealed that more than 260 out of 860 pilot licenses issued by the Pakistani authorities and used by pilots operating for air operators certified in Pakistan are fraudulent.”

Interesting wording there, was it deliberate? Did EASA accuse the Pakistani authorities of issuing fraudulent licenses? It's one thing for a pilot to present a fraudulent license, it's a whole other thing if the authority issues it.... Or, should we infer that the license was issued legitimately, in good faith by the authority, based upon a fraudulent application, whose truth was not known by the authority?

I don't see any problem with that description.

One of the meanings of fraudulent is "obtained by deception". Meaning deception by the recipient, which clearly applies here and is doubtless EASA's intended meaning.

[Rimmon]

No that is not the US problem. The EU feels that the USA does not have adequate control over CV19 and now it's turned into a political issue on top of the medical problems. Amazing!

The US has turned CV19 into a political issue with the obvious results. Based on that the EU has decided to extend the travel ban for travellers from the US, as well as other countries who are not able or willing to come up with adequate measures, until the situation changes.

[Swiss51]

What about India based airlines? There is apparently also evidence of forged pilot licenses in a network of conspiration. Or is Air India as an example commercially too importsnt to be bannend from EASA land?

[Teaboy24]

Has this ban come into effect today as I see a PIA flight is currently en-route ISB-LHR PK785.

[wiggy]

Has this ban come into effect today as I see a PIA flight is currently en-route ISB-LHR PK785.

The EASA letter in permalink #12 has the ban entering into effect Wednesday 1 July at 00h 00 UTC........

Not sure of PIA's schedule into LHR but given this ban was announced late yesterday is it possible there's a PIA crew who were night stopping at LHR who need repatriating?

[fox niner]

There is another one inbound mxp. PK 719. apparently they have a waiver to repatriate until july 3rd.