Malaysia temporarily supends pilots in domestic airlines with Pakistani licences
Jul 09, 2020
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], July 9 : Malaysia has temporarily suspended pilots employed by domestic airlines who hold Pakistani licenses.
Malaysia aviation regulator's decision comes in the wake of Pakistani government disclosure that 150 pilots of the Pakistan International Airline had dubious licences.
Aviation authorities of different countries have sought verification of credentials of Pakistani pilots and engineers working there.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) said in a statement last week that the decision came after an evaluation of all foreign pilots in Malaysia, Dawn reported
National carrier Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air -- the Malaysian arm of Indonesia's Lion Air, and AirAsia said they don't have any Pakistani pilot.
CAAM said the pilots were employed with local operators, such as flying schools, flying clubs and training organisations.
"Currently all operators are required to temporarily suspend their pilot who is issued with Pakistan pilot licence from operating flights until their licences can be verified by Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). Once verification has been carried out, the CAAM will inform operators for their reinstatement immediately," the letter emailed to the Pakistan Aviation Authority said.
The European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) has suspended PIA's authorisation to operate in EU member states in the wake of the grounding of Pakistani pilots whose licences were termed "dubious" by Pakistan Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.
The EU aviation safety watchdog said it was concerned about the validity of the Pakistani pilot licences following the minister's statement.
Following the EASA's move, the UK Civil Aviation Authority also withdrew PIA's permit to operate from three of its airports -- Birmingham, London Heathrow and Manchester. The PIA was operating 23 flights to the UK every week -- nine to London, 10 to Manchester and four to Birmingham.
Meanwhile, a global airlines' rating website -- AirlineRating.com -- has lowered the ranking of PIA to 'one-star' airline as the issue pilots' "dubious licences" continues to haunt the national flag carrier.
