KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) plans to resume flights to Toronto have been hit by further delays, despite the airline setting a target to restart operations this month.
According to airline sources, the delay is due to the failure to complete timely maintenance of Boeing 777-LR aircraft. PIA management had aimed to resume flights to Toronto on September 28, but the schedule could not be met.
Sources revealed that new landing gear for the Boeing 777 aircraft has already arrived in Karachi. However, the necessary engineering tools required to install the equipment are not available, leaving the aircraft grounded until the tools arrive.
PIA operates two Boeing 777-LR aircraft on its Toronto route, both of which remain out of service. Sources added that the flights are unlikely to resume for several more days.
The prolonged grounding of these aircraft has already lasted several weeks, and the shortage of operational planes is now expected to cause delays in restoring PIA’s flights to the United Kingdom as well.
