Over 30% of airline pilot in Pakistan were found to have fake licenses. But that’s hardly the only scandal. From sacrificing a goat for safety to flying with more passengers than seats (and making customers stand for 1700 miles), Pakistan’s flag carrier is the worst airline in the world.
Now comes a new story about ticket agent corruption that is – it seems – just another day at the airline.
Boeing 777 on Approach to New York JFK in 2014, Copyright zhukovsky / 123RF Stock Photo
PIA wouldn’t accept previously-issued tickets for their own cancelled flights to bring passengers home on so-called ‘rescue’ or repatriation flights. However bribes to an airline agent could still make that happen.
[O]fficials at the Sialkot PIA office accommodated 50 or so old ticket holders for their travel to Italy and Paris on special flights in violation of rules to mint money.
“The officials in question accommodated old purchased tickets by charging extra money from their holders (passengers) for their travel to Italy and Paris,” a source said, adding the officials did this fraud in collaboration with some travel agents.
…He said the ‘culprits’ (officials) made some Rs8million from this trick. “Through this fraud the officials also deprived the PIA of a huge sum of money,” he said and added that the fraud had been detected and an inquiry launched against those involved.
Pakistan International Airlines agents have reportedly taken bribes from hotel owners to send over distressed passengers at the airline’s expense – writing vouchers for these properties, rather than using hotels on the approved list. And then the agents authorize individual rooms for each passenger, but the hotel sticks them in two to a room. One PIA customer, so frustrated by the airline’s incompetence, once lit his own luggage on fire.
(HT: Live and Let’s Fly)
Gary,
I’m a Pakistani and shocked by fake pilot licenses.
There are many literate like me who share the same view and believe and trust that PIA will rise from it’s ashes again to be one of the best airlines with the best pilots this world can get, inshaAllah.
Gary,
You forget the drug smuggling by airline crew and airport staff.
PIA also own the Roosevelt Hotel, read the reviews, as bad as the airlines.
Worst still losing $38 million a month pre covid.
14000 employees , 31 planes of which 9 are ATRs
If ever an airline needs shutting down, this is it.
What about EL Al thats not even flying right now
The part about fake pilot licenses is shocking, to say the least.
hmmm, my grandfather always said The World Airline was TWA
It really shocked me to blame PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES PIA
WHY don’t you non sense and stupid person to blame the regimes/ governments of ex prime monster NAEE BAAZ SHAREER OF PML (N) & Ex Persoden ZOORDARI and yes SHAHID KHAQAN ABBASI the CHIEF EXECUTIVE and son KHAQAN ABBASI who was the part of ZIA UL HAQ GOVERNMENT and they ruled unfortunately my beloved country PAKISTAN over 40 years and appointed their cronies in PIA and destroyed it and flourished their own airline AIR BLUE who has been in profit for the many years but
they intentionally and deliberately destroyed national flag carriers although it was the best PIA in the world
The same PIA trained EMIRATE AIRLINES, SINGAPORE AIRLINES AND MANY OTHETS AFRICAN AIRLINES
BUT
AT THAT THESE MONSTERS OF PML N & PPP were not in governments
Even till 2008 PIA was in profit but during the last ten years both PML N AND PPP and specifically MUSHAHIDULLAH KHAN AND HIS FAMILY once he was a loader of PIA and now he is a SENATOR OF PML N
PIA REACHED AT THIS POINT DUE TO THEM
AND
WHY R SILENCED WHEN IN PML N ERA AN PLANE STOLEN FROM PAKISTAN AND REACHED WEST GERMANY
It is a nature s revenge from PIA (pain in Ass) for overcharging the passengers and doing travel fraud that they lost a plane / lives and finally the licences% ban.
It is no body s fault but the airline only.
About current situation the air force and Shaheen airways are doing dodge things . Wait for the scandal to come out.
Currently all airlines are doing everything to loot from people.
Qatar, emirates and big list.
British airways is the most customer friendly only.
I recently bought an on line ticket with a big name from ME and they sold my ticket to some one for 2400 which was bought for 600 gbp after a month.
This happened with me.
Wanted to go home as I frequently travel to pak. Had three revenue ticket in hand. All my booking cancelled. Registered with embassies ( london, Manchester and barmingham), waiting time 55 days.
Relief flight , what a drama. Embassies, joke, cartoons and monkies.
Finally called somebody in army thru contacts. My name appeared in monkey embassy list with a number to call in Bradford then they will ask your what’s app number and call back to bargain the ticket price and too one way only.
On the way back samd game, double price and one way only. I am still sleeping with those 3× unused ticket
“ Please Inform Allah “
This is a sad story of 100% corruption & by these two Traitors Thieves Liars of 21st Century nawaz sharif of pmln & asif zardari of ppp plus there corrupt families who destroyed PIA.
In these days they don’t honour their previous tickets telling clients to refund ticket and not paying them and buy new ticket
On higher price