Karachi: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has asked its cockpit crew not to observe fast while flying to ensure flight and passenger safety.
In this connection, Aamir Bashir, General Manager of Flight Services, issued directives to the pilots of the national flag carrier in an intra-organisational circular.
The instructions have been issued in the context of PIA’s last plane crash in 2020 as Flight 8303 from Lahore to Karachi crashed on the last Friday of Ramadan that year. The crash took the lives of 98 persons while two passengers survived. Initial probe reports suggested human error had a role in the crash, as the pilots didn’t follow the set flying procedures before landing.
“Focusing on specific human issues such as diet and its relationship to flight performance could help reduce the rate of pilot errors and accidents. Proper nutrition is essential to meet the physiological demands of flying,” said the PIA circular.
Poor or irregular eating habits can be a contributory cause of decreased pilot performance. Research has shown that low blood glucose levels, especially during the fasting period, contribute towards decreased cognitive function. This is especially relevant for aircrew personnel given the physiological demand placed upon them, the circular added.
“Hence, keeping in mind the aforementioned factors of fatigue, performance deterioration, and the lives of innocent people it is advised the pilots should refrain from fasting during the month of Ramadan or otherwise when they are on flying duties. If someone feels that he/she cannot leave fast then he/she should apply for leave during such period,” it said.
The circular asked pilots to strictly observe the instruction as otherwise their licence to fly could be suspended or cancelled.
A former PIA senior official, Captain Anwar Adil, while talking to Gulf News, appreciated the latest instructions issued to the pilots while saying that they were in line with the standard international civil aviation practices to ensure passenger safety.
