PIA endures 30 bird-hit incidents in last six months

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft have met30 bird-hit incidents mainly due to environmental pollution around the airports in the last six months.

In the past six months there have been 30 bird hit incidents as most of the airports are situated in the middle of thickly populated areas while heaps of garbage can easily be spotted around them.

According to a survey conducted by this scribe, people living around the airport do not care and generally throw their garbage especially the leftover food items near its outer boundary which attracts thebirds like crow, vulture and eagles etc.

Although, the concerned authorities have made arrangements to shoot and push away such birds, however, the officials deployed to shoot these birds operates inside the boundary walls around the run-way andother installations.

The official sources in PIA informed that in bird-hit cases, the aircraft is thoroughly checked as per the airline's standard operatingprocedure and released after necessary repair and maintenance.

As the passengers safety is PIA's foremost priority, all the aircraft are maintained and checked as per international standards by PIA Engineering Department after which their airworthiness is certified by CAA.

According to an estimate, US$ 1.2 million are spent for thorough checking of one aircraft.

At present, 12 international airports and one airport of private sector are operational in the country.

These airports are Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, DG Khan, Bahawalpur, R.Y. Khan, Sailkot (private airport), Turbat and Gawadar.