By Pakistan’s national airline, facing financial difficulties, has had to ground 11 of its planes, including three Boeing 777s, due to a lack of funds to replace essential parts. An anonymous official from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) revealed that over the past three years, the airline’s management has made the tough decision to ground these aircraft due to the ongoing financial crisis, exacerbated by rising exchange rates and fuel costs.
Out of the 31 planes that PIA operates on both domestic and international routes, 11 are now grounded at Karachi and Islamabad airports. The financial challenges have prevented the airline from procuring necessary spare parts since last year, gradually leading to these groundings.
The prior government, led by Shahbaz Sharif, had appointed a new Managing Director for PIA and unveiled plans to privatize the national carrier. However, this announcement faced strong opposition from various airline unions, some of which even initiated strikes, further complicating the situation.
Among the grounded aircraft, two Boeing 777s were taken out of service in 2020, another in 2021, five A320s were grounded (two in 2021 and three in 2023), and three ATR aircraft (one each in 2020, 2022, and 2023) also had to be sidelined. Sadly, three of these aircraft, including a Boeing 777, an Airbus, and an ATR, are reportedly beyond repair.
A PIA spokesperson has confirmed this grounding due to insufficient funds, reflecting the airline’s ongoing financial struggles. With PIA operating with only 20 available aircraft, the flight schedule has been notably affected, particularly on domestic routes.
As the airline continues to operate at a loss, the outgoing government’s decision to privatize PIA has sparked criticism from an employee association within the national carrier. Last week, the People’s Unity of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) organized a nationwide token strike in protest of the planned privatization. Despite these challenges, PIA maintains an international flight network covering 19 destinations across Asia, Europe, and North America.
