Pak pilot refuses to take off after emergency landing, here’s why

The PIA flight PK-9754 was enroute to Islamabad from Riyadh, but had to make an emergency stop in Dammam due to bad weather, The Express Tribune reported.

At Dammam airport, the stranded passengers started a protest. They refused to get off the plane, and airport security had to intervene to bring the situation under control. A PIA spokesperson later said all passengers have been accommodated in hotels.

“A pilot should rest because it is necessary for flight safety. All passengers will reach Islamabad Airport at 11pm. Until then all arrangements have been made in hotels,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by Gulf News.

In November 2021, Pakistan’s national carrier had announced that it was expanding its flight operations to Saudi Arabia. The PIA announced that flights will now depart from different cities of the country, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Peshawar.

Around the world, airline companies take steps to counter pilot fatigue. In 2011, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) set rules to ensure a 10-hour minimum rest period prior to a flight duty period. The rule also mandates that a pilot must have an opportunity for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep within the 10-hour rest period.