KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has barred Shaheen International Airline (SAI) from operating four of its aircraft over safety concerns.
The CAA took the step after one of SAI’s Boeing 737 passenger aircraft broke down on the runway of Quetta International Airport earlier in the day while landing. The plane was carrying passenger from Islamabad.
According to the CAA spokesperson Pervez Geroge, the incident caused three-and-a-half-hour delay in the flight of Fly Dubai. “We have been warning Shaheen Air for weeks to fix issues with their aircraft but they were not listening. CAA will not compromise on safety of passengers,” he added.
Pakistan has seen five aircraft crashes since 2006 in which 324 passengers and crew have been killed. None of the accidents involved either Air Indus or SAI.
The four SAI aircraft that have been grounded include two Airbus330s, one A320 and a B737. The jets have defects ranging from a faulty fuel barometer to rusting fuselage, officials say.
