Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) must address the vulnerabilities that have led to the vanishing of its crew members in Canada while seeking better opportunities. Despite implementing safeguards like passport collection, requiring affidavits, and assigning older cabin crew on flights to Canada, the airline has been unsuccessful in preventing these incidents. The primary suspected reasons for these disappearances include low wages and concerns over the anticipated privatization of the airline, as well as Canada's lenient asylum policies. A Dawn report revealed that another PIA flight attendant disappeared upon landing in Toronto on the first day of Eid Al Adha. This year alone, at least seven crew members have gone missing, severely tarnishing the reputation of Pakistan's national airline. Over the past 18 months, 14 crew members have failed to return to duty after landing in Toronto from January 2023 to June 2024. The most recent case involved Noor Sher, a flight attendant on flight PK 781 from Pakistan to Toronto, who was noticed missing last week when he did not board his scheduled return flight. PIA officials attribute this trend to Canada's accommodating laws that facilitate asylum upon entry. Air hostess Faiza Mukhtar and flight steward Jibran Baloch also disappeared in Canada earlier this year. In 2022, four PIA cabin crew members sought asylum in Canada after not reporting for duty. Given the frequency of these disappearances, PIA has implemented several measures to prevent further incidents. In addition to the existing precautions, the airline should enhance the salary structure of its cabin crew to match those of other international airlines.
Text: Lara Palmer
30.06.2024
Low Salaries and Canada's Liberal Asylum Policies Contribute to PIA Crew Vanishing