The Pakistan International Airlines is in hot water on Wednesday as the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) has expressed concern over the violations of the cabin crew rules by the PIA management. In a letter written to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority’s (PCAA) director, the ITF conveyed its serious concerns over the tragic death of cabin crew senior purser Rashida Majeed while Samina Aurangzeb was seriously injured. The letter says: “On behalf of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), a global union federation representing nearly 18.5 million transport workers from 740 affiliates in over 150 countries, including Pakistan, we write to you to urgently initiate an investigation into Pakistan International Airlines’ flight services management.” “Suspected violations of PIA’s SEP manual and flight and duty time limitations have been raised by our affiliate, the Pakistan Airlines Cabin Crew Association (PACCA).

These issues are fundamental to the operational safety of Pakistan’s flag carrier but even more crucial in light of the recent road traffic accident on 29 June 2023 that resulted in severe injuries to one cabin crew member at PIA and the tragic death of senior purser Rashida Majeed.” It adds that PACCA expressed concerns in its letter to the PCAA on July 11 with regard to the violation of rules and laws specified within the SEP handbook of cabin crew, which is authorized by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. “According to the union, the surface travel from Lahore to Sialkot during nighttime, in uniform, was in breach of the manual.” The ITF demanded the aviation authority to launch ‘a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances and causes of the accident and the wider safety culture at PIA, including flight services management.’

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)