PIA struggles to stay afloat as fuel shortage forces cancellation of 349 flights  

Over the past two weeks, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been compelled to cancel 349 flights due to a severe fuel shortage, underscoring the challenges faced by the financially struggling national carrier.

According to a spokesperson, these flight cancellations, which began on October 14, have affected both domestic and international routes, causing significant inconvenience to passengers. 

PIA has issued a statement confirming that daily flight rescheduling is ongoing, but without specifying the expected duration of this crisis. Flight schedules are being adjusted based on fuel availability, as mentioned in the statement. 

This situation has arisen from an ongoing financial dispute between PIA and the Pakistan State Oil Company (PSO). PIA alleges that PSO has suspended its credit line for fuel and is now requiring daily advance payments before supplying the necessary fuel. 

PIA has emphasised its efforts to manage its funds and has indicated that the return to regular flight schedules depends on the availability of financial resources. 

To keep affected travellers informed, PIA has outlined its priority destinations once flight operations resume. Canada, Turkey, China, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia are expected to be among the first countries to be reconnected. 

However, PIA’s flights to Europe and the UK have remained suspended since 2020 following the revocation of the national carrier’s authorization by the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency due to the pilot licence scandal.