Aircraft owners call for urgent reforms in aviation sector, removal of PCAA director-general

By Muhammad Zarif

ISLAMABAD: The Aircraft Owners & Operators Association (AOOA) Pakistan has issued report highlighting the major challenges facing the country’s aviation industry and urging the government to take immediate steps to address them.

The report delves into critical issues affecting the sector, accompanied by urgent recommendations for a much-needed overhaul.

The report, prepared by AOOA founder Imran Aslam Khan, sheds light on the appointment of a ‘non-professional’ director general (DG) of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) with a bureaucratic background, causing a disconnect between leadership and the intricate technical demands of the aviation sector.

The AOOA has demanded that the government appoint a technocrat or an aviation professional as the DG to ensure better regulation and oversight of the sector.

The report said that the immediate appointment of a technocrat or aviation professional as the DG is crucial to rectify this situation.

The second issue, the report said, is the fake pilot licenses scandal, which has tarnished the image of Pakistan’s aviation industry and resulted in the suspension of international flights by several airlines. The AOOA has urged the current DG to respect the court orders, accept the resolution passed by the Senate, and work on restoring the credibility and professionalism of the pilots and the CAA.

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The third issue is the contract with UK CAA International, which provides training and consultancy services to the CAA at a high cost. The AOOA has called for the cancellation of the contract, citing the need to save foreign exchange and reduce the training expenses for pilots within the country.

The fourth issue is the outdated and unfriendly aviation policy, which imposes exorbitant fees, grants excessive powers to the DG, and restricts the import of aircraft based on age limits. The AOOA has proposed to reform the policy by eliminating the unnecessary charges, reevaluating the DG’s authority, and reconsidering the age limits on aircraft imports to stimulate the growth of the industry, prevent the closure of businesses, and retain jobs.

The fifth issue is the non-implementation of the Civil Aviation Rules 1994, which were adopted by the Senate on 04 August 2022 to address the industry’s issues, curb the bureaucratic influence, and facilitate a business-friendly environment in the aviation sector. The AOOA has demanded that the government enforce the new rules as soon as possible to improve the regulatory framework and the operational efficiency of the sector.

The sixth issue is the lack of strategies for improving and increasing the revenue of the aviation sector. The AOOA has suggested several measures, such as separating the inbound and outbound air routes, optimizing the air navigation services over the sea, collaborating with Afghanistan to provide area control services in its airspace to airlines overflying Afghanistan, outsourcing the airports to local entities for economic activities, and reducing the government expenses.

The AOOA has expressed its hope that the government will take notice of the issues raised by the association and take swift and effective actions to reform the aviation sector in Pakistan. The AOOA has also offered its support and cooperation to the government in achieving this goal.

HUM News English has sent a request to the CAA spokesperson to get the version on the issue but it did not get any reposnse till the filing of this report.