DG Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Denies Using PIA Plane For Private Tour

DG CAA denies using PIA plane for private tour Director General Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Tuesday denied using a plane of the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), for a private tour of Nanga Parbat.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jul, 2018 ) :DG CAA denies using PIA plane for private tour Director General Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Tuesday denied using a plane of the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), for a private tour of Nanga Parbat.

"I went for an air safari on the invitation of PIA CEO," he upheld adding that the national carrier told him that they are starting an air safari and thus wanted to invite him.

"I have nothing to do with the plane being taken for an air safari," the DG CAA expressed these views while talking to a private news channel via telephone.

"None of my friends were on board the plane," the DG CAA clarified.

Earlier today, sources told the news channel that the DG CAA took a group of friends for a special tour of Nanga Parbat on a PIA plane and that "the tour took place as passengers waited for the plane's arrival at Skardu airport for their scheduled flight." As per reports, when the plane finally landed at Skardu airport after a delay of hours, passengers protested and lashed out at the DG CAA.

However, the DG CAA told the news channel that he took notice of the complaints of the passengers at Skardu airport.

"There will be an inquiry against those responsible," he asserted.

He said the PIA management is to blame for the delay in the flight to Skardu airport.

"I have written a letter to PIA seeking clarification on the matter," he added .

He said "It is our responsibility to regulate airlines and protect the rights of citizens." "I told the passengers that I am with them in their protest," he added.

Meanwhile, a PIA spokesmsn Mashood Tajwar while talking to the same news channel told that the flight to Skardu was delayed owing to bad weather and not because of the air safari.

"We had passed on a message to Skardu airport authorities that the flight will be delayed," he added.

However, Tajwar said, "May be the message was not passed on to passengers due to miscommunication." "We apologise to passengers for the delay," the PIA spokesman said.

Responding to a question regarding the demand for refund raised for protesting passengers, Tajwar said, "Passengers areonly compensated when flights are cancelled."