A year after being grounded ten Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes remain non-operational due to a lack of essential spare parts, according to 24news. The delay in purchasing these parts has left nearly 40% of PIA’s 26-plane fleet grounded, severely impacting flight schedules.
Only five of nine Boeing 777 aircraft are in service, while the remaining four await repairs. Among the Airbus A320 fleet, only ten of thirteen planes are operational, and of the ATR planes, just one out of four is functional.
The sources added that these grounding issues stem from what they describe as poor planning by PIA’s engineering department, which has affected both domestic and international routes.
Frequent flight delays and cancellations due to these maintenance issues have frustrated passengers and drawn criticism. During the ongoing PIA privatization talks, prospective buyers have also raised concerns about fleet management.
Despite the scrutiny, there has been little action taken to address the grounded planes, leaving PIA’s operational capacity significantly compromised.