DG CAA denies using PIA plane for private tour

KARACHI: Director General Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Hassan Baig on Tuesday denied using a plane of the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), for a private tour of Nanga Parbat.

“I went for an air safari on the invitation of PIA CEO,” he upheld adding that the national carrier told him that they are starting an air safari and thus wanted to invite him.

“I have nothing to do with the plane being taken for an air safari,” the DG CAA said while speaking to Geo News via telephone.

“None of my friends were on board the plane,” he clarified.

Earlier today, sources told Geo News that the DG CAA took a group of friends for a special tour of Nanga Parbat on a PIA plane and that "the tour took place as passengers waited for the plane’s arrival at Skardu airport for their scheduled flight.” 

As per reports, when the plane finally landed at Skardu airport after a delay of hours, passengers protested and lashed out at the DG CAA.

However, Baig told Geo News that he took notice of the complaints of the passengers at Skardu airport.

“There will be an inquiry against those responsible,” he asserted.

The DG CAA said the PIA management is to blame for the delay in the flight to Skardu airport.

“I have written a letter to PIA seeking clarification on the matter,” Baig stated.

He added, “It is our responsibility to regulate airlines and protect the rights of citizens.”

“I told the passengers that I am with them in their protest,” he said.

Flight delayed owing to bad weather: PIA spokesperson 

Meanwhile, PIA spokesperson Mashood Tajwar told Geo News that the flight to Skardu was delayed owing to bad weather and not because of the air safari. 

"We had passed on a message to Skardu airport authorities that the flight will be delayed," he added.

However, Tajwar said, "May be the message was not passed on to passengers due to miscommunication."

"We apologise to passengers for the delay," the PIA spokesperson said.

Responding to a question regarding the demand for refund raised for protesting passengers, Tajwar said, "Passengers are only compensated when flights are cancelled."

PIA didn't compensate despite promise: passenger

A passenger, whose video went viral as she lashed out at DG CAA at Skardu airport over the delay in the PIA flight, told Geo News that the airline did not compensate them despite promising to.

"PIA's chief commercial officer promised us that our ticket money would be refunded owing to the delay," she said. 

"However, the chief commercial officer disappeared soon after landing in Islamabad," she added.

The passenger, who identified herself as Muneeza, further said, "We missed our next flight due to the delay in the Skardu-Islamabad flight."

"CAA should conduct an inquiry against PIA and compensate passengers," she upheld.

- An earlier version of the story mistakenly named the DG CAA as Ghulam Hussain. The error is regretted.