Flights for Gilgit, Skardu cancelled as pilots remain off-duty

The PIA cancelled three flights – two for Gilgit and one for Skardu – on Monday after the Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (PALPA) stopped its members from flights operations over the issue of coronavirus spread.

Only one Gilgit-bound flight PK603 could be operated on Monday after a four-and-half-hour delay.

Earlier, 24NewsHD reported that the two Gilgit-bounds flights PK603 and PK607 were delayed. These were scheduled to leave Islamabad at 6:30am and 10:10am respectively.

On Sunday, the PALPA had asked the members not to operate any flights until further notice, saying that SOPs were ignored for the recent humanitarian flights resulting in the coronavirus spread.

The move came after four crew members of a special flight were placed in isolation soon after their return at the Karachi airport from London. However, they were tested negative.

Later, PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik said the crew members had gone through an unfair treatment, as they were national heroes.

A PIA spokesperson also added that Malik was in contact with top officials and the reports of coronavirus in the crew members were misleading.