ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will sell its unserviceable planes including a Boeing-747, three Boeing-737 and three A-310 aircraft.
According to PIA spokesman here, the national flag carrier had already tendered some of its old aircraft which had completed their operational flying life. He said that a tender notice announcing the disposal was released in national newspapers some time back, inviting vendors in trade.
The vendors inspected the obsolete aircraft parked at Karachi Airport, followed by sealed bids submission. A number of vendors responded to the advertisement and were permitted to inspect the aircraft. He said that the entire bidding process was done with complete transparency. All aircraft equipment including engines, instruments and seats etc. were removed from the aircraft by PIA before the inspection process.
Even fuel and oil was also removed from these aircraft leaving only a minimal quantity to keep the mechanical parts lubricated. The PIA spokesman emphasised that none of the aircraft that were tendered are in flying condition. He re-asserted that all instruments and fittings have been removed from the aircraft.
Further, since all the aircraft in PIA inventory are civilian in nature, there is no question of any of them having sophisticated missile tracking equipment since such equipment is only fitted on military aircraft, he concluded.
