A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Dubai to Multan was tense when all its tires burst during takeoff. The flight, carrying 172 passengers, had to abort its departure due to this unexpected technical fault.
As the Airbus A320 sped down the runway, an engine malfunction warning was triggered, according to the PIA spokesperson. The captain swiftly engaged the emergency brakes, bringing the plane to a safe but abrupt stop.
This sudden braking caused all the tires to burst, and passengers were promptly moved to the airport lounge for safety.
In response, the PIA engineering team was dispatched from Karachi to Dubai on a flight later that night—between Monday and Tuesday—to fix the issue.
In the meantime, PIA management made alternate arrangements for the passengers. Some will be flown to Lahore on PIA flight PK 204 from Dubai, while others will travel from Sharjah to Multan.
On a related note, the Pakistani government is moving forward with plans to privatize PIA. In a recent twist, the Privatisation Commission extended the bidding deadline by a month, pushing it to October 31, 2024, according to ARY News.
With this extension, the draft agreement is expected to be signed on October 25, 2024, while advance payments are due by October 28, 2024. This last-minute delay surprised interested companies and raised concerns about its impact on the privatization process.
Although the Privatisation Commission hasn’t clarified the reason for the extension, initial deposits were previously expected by September 27. Aviation sources warn that the shift may complicate the process.
Despite this, six private companies, including Blue World City, Air Blue, Arif Habib, Fly Jinnah, Pak Ethanol, and YB Holdings, are still in the race for PIA’s privatization.