PIA’s turbulence increases with halted fuel supply

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is going into a tailspin as various fuel vendors have refused to provide fuel at a number of international airports, including United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Norway, Canada and the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan Today learnt on Wednesday. Sources in the national flag carrier disclosed that various fuel vendors disconnected fuel supply at various international airports until the PIA management cleared their outstanding fuel bills. Sources said the PIA officials had to face embarrassment when Shell Aviation, Manchester, refused fuel supply to the PIA’s Manchester-Islamabad flight PK 702. Sources added that the airline had to face similar situations with several other fuel vendors at airports in Birmingham, Heathrow, Oslo, Copenhagen, Toronto, Jeddah and Dubai. Reportedly, the fuel vendors also warned the airline to immediately clear their dues or they would completely suspend their agreements with it. Sources said that if the PIA defaulted, no company would provide fuel to its fleet across the world. They added that despite several warnings from the Saudi aviation authorities, the PIA could not improve its flight schedule. The Saudi authorities had taken notice of PIA’s frequent flight cancellations from Jeddah International Airport, and other irregularities. They pointed out that the airline was offering air tickets from Medina airport, but was operating its flights from Jeddah. Recently, the local municipal authority took notice of the crowd outside the PIA office in Medina. The authority warned that the airline’s operations from Medina would be suspended if the problem was not resolved. When contacted, the airline’s official spokesman denied that any vendor had refused fuel supply to PIA aircraft.