EU bans Pakistan national airline flights over pilot exam cheats

PIA will not be able to fly into the EU for at least six months because of doubts over validity of pilot licences

The European Union's aviation safety agency announced today that Pakistan's national airline would not be allowed to fly into Europe for at least six months after the country's aviation minister revealed that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had cheated during their pilot's exams.

Pakistan International Airlines spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said PIA had not been flying to Europe because of the pandemic. But the airline had hoped to resume its flights to Oslo, Copenhagen, Paris, Barcelona and Milan within the next two months.