PCAA oversight brings positive results for PIA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority director-general Thursday congratulated Pakistan International Airlines for achieving zero index in four Safety Audit for Foreign-Origin Aircraft (SAFA) Inspections.

In a statement, the DG appreciated the efforts of the CAA regulatory division behind this achievement through effective and continuous safety oversight. He reiterated on continuity of hard work in order to perform well in the EU region as well.

Commenting on PIA’s statement offering support to the regulatory authority to clear the audit of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), he said it was considered non-professional and beyond the mandate of PIACL.

He elaborated that ICAO only recognizes CAA as the sole regulatory authority to effectively ensure safety oversight of all the operators including PIA.

“As part of our national duty and safety of all the passengers, CAA regulatory division ensured continuous safety audit and inspections of PIA and other operators registered in Pakistan,” he added.

He maintained that it is only due to effective regulatory oversight that all operators have improved compliance to ICAO standards.

Underscoring the need for compliance to the international safety standards, he said that there was no shortcut to achieve the confidence of international regulatory bodies. 

PIA gets SAFA’s safety ratings

Earlier on November 6, PIA had said it had achieved safety ratings from European air safety watchdog SAFA.

"With zero index, it means that PIA is now ranked among the best airlines in the world which have safest operating records," the airline had said in a statement. 

SAFA or Safety Audit for Foreign-Origin Aircraft conducts periodic and surprise checks for all the non-European airlines at different airports across the world.

 "However with zero findings being recorded by SAFA since last few weeks, it has lowered it safety hazard index to zero, which is a perfect score," it  had added.

Air Marshal Arshad Malik had congratulated the PIA team for their sincere efforts working tirelessly to achieve the highest ever safety ratings. He had said that now after the restructuring of PIA’s safety department more stringent in-house safety checks are undertaken on all its international flights.