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Canada PIA News: Many crew members of Pakistan International Airlines are mysteriously disappearing during Canada layover, raising questions on the security of the airline. Investigation and preparation of new rules is going on. Aviation experts believe that Canada’s easy immigration rules and asylum process could be the reason behind these disappearances.
Lahore. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is once again under the scanner. An airline flight attendant has mysteriously gone missing in Canada, after which the management has immediately started an investigation. This incident came to light when the crew member did not report on flight PK-798 returning from Toronto to Lahore.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan said that when the concerned crew member was contacted, he refused to report for duty citing illness. But the airline suspects that it is not just a matter of “being sick”. According to the spokesperson, if it turns out to be an intentional disappearance, then immediate departmental action will be taken against the flight attendant.
Crews are continuously disappearing – why is ‘Canada Layover’ becoming the biggest threat?
This is not the first case when PIA employees have gone missing during a layover in Canada. In the last few years, many such cases have come to light, due to which serious questions are being raised on the internal security of the airline. In October 2023, an Islamabad-based cabin crew member went missing after reaching Toronto.
The 47-year-old PIA steward disappeared in Canada in March 2024. Another crew member who arrived in Toronto on PK-782 in February 2024 did not report for the return flight PK-784. After this he went missing forever. There is only one similarity in all these cases… the missing employees are ‘lost’ in Canada, and the airlines are never able to find them.
Are PIA employees seeking asylum in Canada?
Aviation experts believe that Canada’s easy immigration rules and asylum process could be the reason behind these disappearances. Many Pakistani citizens apply for political or humanitarian asylum in Canada, and the continuous disappearance of PIA crew is deepening suspicion in this direction. This is the reason why PIA is now investigating every such case considering it as ‘possible willful absconding’.
PIA’s concern increased – internal review started
The airline has indicated that if such cases do not stop, new safety rules may be implemented regarding crew layovers in Canada. At present, the search for the missing flight attendant and efforts to find out the truth about her “excuse of being ill” are going on.
