PIA advises pilots & cabin crew not to fast, while flying during Ramzan

In preparation for the holy month of Ramzan, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has issued a directive urging its pilots and cabin crew to refrain from fasting while on duty.

The decision, prompted by concerns over safety, underscores the airline’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of both passengers and crew. The possible risks of flying while fasting were highlighted by PIA, citing medical advice.

In addition to symptoms like fatigue and lack of sleep, dehydration can jeopardize flight safety and endanger both passengers and ground personnel. Therefore, it was advised that fasting be avoided while on duty by the airline’s Corporate Safety Management and Air Crew Medical Center.

Pilots and cabin staff are advised, with immediate effect, not to observe fasting while performing their duties, whether on domestic or foreign flights. Any crew member found to be fasting will not be allowed to take part in flight operations, according to the directive.

This choice is made in light of more general changes in Pakistan’s aviation industry. The national flag carrier of the nation, PIA, is expected to be privatized before June 15th, according to recent sources, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s approval. Following an agreement with the IMF, the trend towards privatization highlights efforts to address the budgetary concerns mentioned by the international financial agency.

Particularly in view of the financial targets set by the IMF, the decision to privatize PIA is a reflection of larger economic imperatives. Measures like privatization are being sought to fulfill these goals and stabilize the country’s financial future, with a caretaker administration overseeing the transition and upcoming elections.