A PIA passenger was arrested for attempting to smoke on the flight PK 749, which was travelling from Islamabad to Paris. The passenger ignored repeated warnings from a female flight attendant and continued to smoke. When she requested again for him to stop, he became aggressive. The situation escalated when the passenger twisted the flight attendant’s arm and hit her on the back, injuring her.
The disturbance didn’t stop there. The same passenger also attempted to attack the flight steward and the captain. However, they were able to stop him and took away the cigarette.
Following standard procedure, the captain informed the French authorities while still in the air. As soon as the plane landed in Paris, the passenger was arrested by the police. The statements of the affected flight attendants were recorded, and a medical check-up of the injured crew member was conducted. A formal police report has also been filed.
Read more: PIA Flight Ban in the UK to Remain in Place
PIA’s spokesperson commented on the incident, stating that French laws are strict in such cases and no leniency is expected for the passenger. The spokesperson confirmed that the passenger has been blacklisted by PIA and will not be allowed to fly with the airline in the future. They also added that the crew acted with professionalism and now the legal system will handle the rest.
The UK Ban
In a related development, PIA also issued a clarification regarding the airline’s current flight ban to the UK. According to a PIA spokesperson, the UK Department for Transport has not made any decision yet on resuming UK flights from Pakistan. They stated, “The UK Department has neither issued a statement nor sent any emails for formal communication.”
The spokesperson further added that Pakistan’s aviation authorities are in contact with the UK Department and working together on the matter. PIA officials urged people not to spread rumours and expressed hope that UK flights would resume, pointing to the airline’s compliance with all audit targets set by the Department for Transport.
However, some media outlets have reported that the UK ban on PIA may continue, citing PIA’s listing on the UK air safety list.
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