Islamabad: In an unusual development, an air hostess working for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flew to Canada without her passport, prompting the Canadian authorities to slap a fine of $200 on her, according to Geo News. Sources affiliated with Pakistan's national carrier said she forgot to keep her passport on flight PK-781 bound for Toronto and had to board the plane on the general declaration documents.
"An air hostess of the PIA travelled from Islamabad to Toronto without a passport. She was fined by the Canadian authorities 200 Canadian dollars (approximately PKR 42,000) after the negligence was discovered once the flight landed," the report said.
The PIA confirmed the incident and the fine imposed on the air hostess for flying to Canada without a passport. A spokesperson for the airline said she had left her passport at Karachi airport. He, however, denied reports of her seeking political asylum in Canada, saying that she is returning to Pakistan via flight PK-782.
The incident sparked concerns due to several cases of the disappearance of PIA flight attendants seeking immigration to Canada recently. Over 10 PIA flight attendants have gone into hiding after landing in Canada in recent weeks.
PIA staff disappearing in Canada
Last month, a male Pakistani flight attendant slipped away after his flight landed in the Canadian city of Toronto, according to media reports, marking the second such incident in a week after a cabin crew member of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) vanished in Toronto. The steward was identified as Jibran Baloch, who failed to show up on the return flight to Pakistan.
Baloch, a PIA flight steward performed duties on the PIA flight PK-782 on Thursday. After his disappearance, the PIA staff searched his hotel room and confirmed that he had slipped away. This came within a week after Maryam Raza, who joined the PIA 15 years ago, failed to report for duty on the return flight to Karachi from Canada.
Another stewardess, Faiza Mukhtar, vanished after her flight landed in Canada in January this year. On its scheduled return to the country, Ms Mukhtar did not turn up [in Toronto] and the flight of the national flag carrier had to proceed without her,” said a PIA official. The attendant was suspended a few years ago for her alleged involvement in smuggling mobile phones and foreign currency.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been running into loss for years and the caretakers just two days before elections decided to bifurcate it into two entities, according to a statement issued after the cabinet meeting held last month. Experts believe the low salaries of crew and concerns over PIA's future, are prompting the crew members to escape after landing in Canada, rather than coming back home.
On March 14, Pakistan's Aircraft Owners and Operators Association (AOOA) released a white paper shedding light on the aviation industry's setbacks, attributing them to a lack of professionalism resulting in pilot license issues which led to the European Union (EU) countries imposing a ban on Pakistani airlines' operations in their territories. In the white paper, the AOOA emphasised the importance of placing the right individuals in suitable positions within the industry. They outlined various reasons for the industry's decline and proposed measures to rectify it, according to Dawn.
(with inputs from agencies)
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