Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) incurred a substantial penalty after one of its air hostesses reached Canada without a passport, as reported by ARY News, citing insider sources.
According to sources, the air hostess was scheduled for duty on flight PK-781 from Islamabad to Toronto when the unprecedented incident occurred.
She travelled from Islamabad to Toronto using only PIA General Declaration documents, circumventing the standard passport requirement.
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In the aftermath of this breach, the national carrier faced a significant fine for permitting flight attendants to enter Canada without appropriate documentation.
A spokesperson for PIA confirmed the imposition of a $250 fine for the incident, emphasising the gravity of the violation. However, the spokesperson refuted claims suggesting the air hostess had intentions to seek political asylum upon arrival in Canada.
It’s worth noting that over the past two years, more than 10 PIA air hostesses have reportedly gone missing in Canada, sparking concerns regarding the welfare and safety of airline staff on international routes.
Earlier this month, on March 1, another PIA cabin crew member was reported missing in Canada, as confirmed by the national airline spokesperson.
Jibran Baloch, a flight steward, was expected to return for duty on PIA flight PK-782 in Toronto on February 29, but failed to show up for work on the return flight to Pakistan.
Recently, a female air hostess named Maryam Raza also disappeared from her hotel. Upon inspection of her hotel room, authorities discovered her uniform along with a note reading, “Thank you, PIA,” according to ARY News.
On March 14, Pakistan’s Aircraft Owners and Operators Association (AOOA) released a white paper shedding light on the aviation industry’s setbacks, attributing them to a lack of professionalism resulting in pilot license issues which led to the European Union (EU) countries imposing a ban on Pakistani airlines’ operations in their territories, Dawn reported.
In the white paper, the AOOA emphasised the importance of placing the right individuals in suitable positions within the industry. They outlined various reasons for the industry’s decline and proposed measures to rectify it.