Announcement or threat? Social media trolls PIA for its unique way of announcing new flights

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the country's national flag carrier, has posted a picture announcing the resumption of direct flights between Islamabad and Paris from January 10 this year; however, the image has a lot of people confused about the messaging.

PIA announced the resumption of direct flights to France after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) listed the ban on PIA flights to Europe in November 2024 after more than four years.

The European aviation regulator banned the Pakistani airline in Europe over doubtful pilot licences in 2020 after PIA's flight from Lahore crashed near Karachi's Jinnah International Airport, killing around 100 people.

During Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) tenure in 2020, then-aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar alleged "almost 40 percent" of pilots working in Pakistan airlines had fake licences in an infamous National Assembly speech.

Following the minister's remarks, European and UK authorities banned PIA from their territories, which were the airline's most profitable routes.

The European aviation regulator announced that PIA "demonstrated to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency compliance" safety standards, lifting a four-year ban on PIA.

The agency has also granted the 'Third Country Operator (TCO)' authorisation to Airblue, allowing the private airline to start commercial flights to Europe.

Dawn News reported that the positive development came due to the aviation ministry's "complete focus" on strengthening the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) and ensuring safety oversight in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation's standards.

Therefore, the PIA announced its plans to expand both its domestic and international operations by launching new flights starting in January.

Though the latest development is positive, the official handle of PIA on X (formerly Twitter) is getting trolled online for uploading a picture that might resemble a dark moment in the world's history.

One social media user wrote: "PIA please change the angle of your plane. It's looking like 9/11 here." Another user wrote: "I think every Pakistani should clarify that this plane isn't aiming for Eiffel tower. And the designer should be fired ASAP."

Some social media users were disappointed with the post writing: "🤦‍♂️Who approved this graphic ? Delete it!! Mutlab aqal istimal karni he nahi hai ..  Give PIA away for free at this point and keep the debt. This is an embarassment." Another user wrote: "Tell me this isn't an actual ad. Do you guiz not understand this entire layout, and the tagline sounds more like a threat than anything else."

Some social media users uploaded a PIA advertisement in a French newspaper from the 20th century in which the PIA aeroplane's shadow was imprinted on the Twin Towers in New York.

Journalist Waseem Abbasi commented: "Keep the plane a little to the side. Flights have resumed with great difficulty."

Many X users edited the PIA's recently uploaded image with one user fixing a white flag above the plane seemingly headed towards the Eiffel Tower.