ISLAMABAD: All major Pakistani airlines were given instructions by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to strictly ensure the compliance of the ban on smoking inside airplanes.
CAA also highlighted the safety hazards that emerged as a consequence to the violation of the ban.
CAA Flight Standards Director Captain Arif Majeed sent a letter to domestic airlines, reminding them smoking was prohibited on board an airplane regardless of whether it is airborne or on the ground.
“Despite repeated reminders by CAA on the subject, smoking on board airplanes by crew is still rampant,” the letter stated.
“Smoking on board an aircraft is a threat to its safety and an offence under state law,” it stated, referring to the prohibition on smoking at all public places, institutions and public service vehicles under the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002.
It was stated in the letter that evidence of smoking in the cockpit was found during safety assessment inspections carried out abroad on Pakistan aircraft in the past.
“This flagrant violation of the rule besides portraying a bad image of Pakistani pilots as principal violators is also a major reason for negative marking in safety assessments of Pakistan-registered aircraft,” the letter stated.
The cumulative safety assessment of Pakistani airplanes is badly affected by the negative marking.
CAA asked them to include the rule in the operations manual along with details of punitive actions.
In addition to the pilots, passengers and cabin crews were also barred from smoking in the cockpit, the letter stated, warning that if it was proven that someone from the crew had smoked or permitted smoking, the licences of all crew members present in the cockpit would be suspended for three months.
The licence of the crew member found violating the rule on board for the second time would also be revoked, the letter stated.
