By Salah Uddin
KARACHI: Due to the lack of maintenance and repair work, several Boeing 777 aircraft of the national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) developed technical faults during international flights, citing sources.
The technical faults in PIA aircraft are continuously rising due to the lack of maintenance and repair works by the airline’s engineering department. The technical faults have not only increased the flight safety risks but they also caused difficulties for passengers and financial troubles for the airline.
According to sources, several Boeing 777 aircraft developed technical faults during Saudi Arabia flights and millions of dollars were spent on their repair. A few days ago, the auxiliary power unit (APU) exhaust of Jeddah-Lahore flight PK-760 developed a fault when the aircraft pushed back from the boarding bridge. The pilot used an emergency brake and a firebolt.
According to the PIA administration, the flight was delayed for over a day as the plane was grounded following the fault. It was the second incident that was reported in a day. Prior to the incident, smog warnings were triggered in the cockpit of another PIA plane that was bound to travel from Sialkot to Jeddah.
The PIA spokesperson said in a statement that the passengers of the grounded plane will depart from Lahore to Jeddah soon.
