Pakistan International Airlines Cancels Flights Amid Fuel Crisis

Pakistan International Airlines, the flag carrier of Pakistan, is no stranger to struggles. The airline recently canceled most of its flights on Sunday, October 22nd, citing a fuel shortage.

Sunday Meltdown

Pakistan State Oil (PSO) is a state-owned petroleum corporation and the primary fuel supplier to Pakistani airports. PSO reports that due to unpaid dues from PIA, it had to suspend its fuel supply to the airline, prompting numerous cancellations on Sunday.

Abdullah Khan, a spokesperson for PIA, noted that only four of PIA's planes were fueled on Sunday. This event occurred despite PIA reportedly sending PSO an advance payment of Rs. 220 million ($789,804) for the fuel supply of PIA's flights on Saturday and Sunday.

Khan made the following statement regarding the fuel shortage:

"On Sunday, only 11 flights could operate out of 81 scheduled flights due to fuel challenges. The Pakistan International Airlines made a payment of Rs220 million on Friday which could last the weekend but it did not. And on Sunday, we were refused fuel which resulted in massive cancelations."

PSO spokesperson Naila Erum said that the company would release an official statement regarding the situation on Monday. According to Erum, PIA owes Rs. 26.825 billion (roughly $97,548,415) to Pakistan State Oil as of October 16th.

Domestic Disruption

Khan further noted that the chances of PIA's domestic flight operations being fully restored soon are "slim" as the carrier grapples with PSO on supplying sufficient fuel for its operations.

It should be noted that domestic flights are the main sector significantly affected by the shortage. When analyzing departures from Karachi Jinnah International Airport (KHI), one of PIA's main hubs, all domestic departures on Sunday were canceled. 

The only PIA flight departed Karachi that day was PK731 to Jeddah, an Airbus A320. This flight was one of only four PIA flights to receive fuel on Sunday. Going off on this news, Khan noted that PIA will continue to operate its international flights to the best of its ability.

This scenario is because fuel for its international flights could be more easily procured in the foreign countries where PIA operates flights. On the contrary, PIA is restricted to only receiving fuel from PSO for its domestic operations, given that PSO is the state-owned fuel supplier.

Khan did not specify how much extra fuel PIA will take on its planes flying from foreign countries. He apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers caused by this row with PSO.

Carrier in Crisis

Over the past three years (and further on), PIA has often been in the news for the wrong reasons. 

The airline continues to struggle financially, an issue that has been further exacerbated in recent history, given Pakistan's current economic crisis and further devaluation of the Pakistani rupee. Talks of privatizing PIA have ramped up, but when this will happen remains to be seen.

PIA still feels the effects of its 2020 ban from the European Union, United Kingdom, and United States following a fake pilot license scandal. While the scandal has since been cleared, PIA continues to face issues restoring its profitable routes to the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.

PIA claims to resume flights to the United Kingdom within the next two months. However, given the hardship PIA has faced recently with getting these routes resumed, only time will tell when this once-majestic network of PIA will be back in operation.