Pakistan International Airlines leases out its seven landing spots at Heathrow Airport
Slots at Heathrow Airport
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been severely impacted by the ban imposed by the European Union Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) as it was forced to give seven of its landing slots at London’s Heathrow Airport to foreign airlines. The slots have not been functional since the ban was imposed in 2020.
The move is aimed at keeping the slots in the long run as six of them will now be used by Turkish Airlines while one was leased out to Kuwait Airways. Both leases will officially end on March 25th, 2023.
Overall, the PIA have 10 slots at the Heathrow Airport which is considered to be the busiest in the world. However, with the travel ban imposed on it due to the pilot licence forgery scandal, they have faced pressure from several authorities to follow the 'use it or lose it'rules during the Covid pandemic.
With the airlines not using the slots, the concerns regarding the maintenance and long-term ownership also prompted several notices from the Heathrow officials. The move to lease them out also provides a short-term solution to the problems and allows PIA to find a workaround when it comes to the ban.
WATCH |Pakistan International airlines faces sanctions, loses Heathrow landing spots
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"We have given them under the babysitting concept for six months and will get them back once the flight operation starts,” a PIA spokesperson told Geo.tv when ask about the arrangement.
The spokesperson also said that the slots are of “great importance” and Pakistan aviation minister Khawaja Saad Rafique is personally monitoring the ongoing negotiations.