PIA pressured to cancel 48 flights on account of gasoline scarcity, non-payment of dues

On Wednesday (18th October), Pakistan’s nationwide service PIA was pressured to cancel all its flights on account of a scarcity of gasoline. As per a report by Dawn, the non-payment of dues and sure ‘operational’ points have hit their nationwide air service.

The non-availability of gasoline has continued to have an effect on the flight operations of the PIA, forcing the loss-making state-owned entity to cancel at the very least 24 flig­hts (11 worldwide and 13 home) and delay 12 others on Tuesday (seventeenth October).

Additionally, the PIA additionally cancelled over two dozen flights together with 16 worldwide and eight home flights for Wednesday (18th October) whereas a variety of different flights are anticipated to undergo delays.

PIA spokesman says 13 home and 11 worldwide flights have been cancelled on Tuesday because of the non-availability of gasoline.

Read extra: PIA cancels 48 flights amid gasoline scarcity

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— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) October 18, 2023

A PIA spokesman introduced that on account of a restricted gasoline provide for PIA plane each day and for operational causes, the flights have been cancelled whereas the departure of some flights had been rescheduled.

Apart from the home flights, PIA additionally cancelled flights that have been scheduled to fly to Dubai, Mus­cat, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait. However, the PIA officers added that they have been making an attempt to accommodate passengers on alternate flights and urged them to contact the PIA name centre, PIA workplaces, or their journey agent earlier than arriving on the airport. 

The gasoline provide for PIA plane has been severely restricted as Pakistan State Oil (PSO), a government-owned entity, suspended its provides over unpaid dues.

Pakistan govt turns down PKR 23 billion support to struggling PIA

The loss-making nationwide service, PIA was already getting ready to collapse on account of gathered money owed and the non-availability of gasoline and flight cancellation has made the way forward for the airline unsure. 

Earlier, the Pakistani authorities refused to grant PKR 23 billion in assist for operational bills to PIA, regardless of requests by their nationwide airline. To cowl the price of gasoline provided by PSO, PIA must make every day funds of Rs 100 million.

However, the airline hasn’t met PSO’s requirement for upfront money funds, forcing the nationwide service to floor dozens of its home and worldwide flights. This comes at a time when Pakistan is going through its worst financial disaster and Inflation within the nation touching a file excessive of 21.3%.