PIA stopped the pilot and crew from fasting during the flight

PIA pilots and cabin crew will not be able to fast. The national airline has issued new guidelines.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has banned pilots and crew members from fasting during Ramadan due to in-flight safety measures. These instructions have been issued by the PIA management on the recommendations of the Corporate Safety Management.

PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Independent Urdu that the ban on fasting during Ramadan has been imposed due to medical reasons and the safety of pilots and crew.

Abdullah Hafeez Khan said that ‘instructions were always issued during the flight but it depended on the wishes of the staff whether they wanted to fast or not.’

But in 2020, there was a plane crash in Karachi Model Colony in which both the pilots lost their lives while fasting. An official directive was then issued that pilots and cabin crew cannot fast during long flights.

‘In-Flight Fasting’

In a letter issued by the PI to the staff, it is said that as per the advice of the Corporate Safety Management and Aircrew Medical Center, ‘pilots and cabin crew of the national airline PIA are advised not to fly while fasting. It has been given in consideration that it is feared that not only their lives but also the lives of other people on the plane and on the ground will be in danger.

“The risk factor is worth considering as pilots should avoid fasting during the month of Ramadan when they are on flying duty due to fatigue, poor performance and taking into account the lives of innocent people and the margin of safety.” is minimal.’

The letter added that ‘in any emergency situation with complications, wrong and delayed actions can lead to serious consequences due to poor judgment and incompetence. However, there is no need to emphasize that the sanctity of fasting is Muslim. During the fast, the fasting person has to make a change in routine, so fasting and flying cannot be restricted to religious reasons as there are specific relaxations for fasting during travel.’

Apart from this, the letter also states that ‘Attention and decision-making ability decreases during fasting, nerves become sluggish, endurance also decreases, so after considering all the factors, it is It becomes clear that flying while fasting is not only harmful for you but also for others. It is therefore important that all cockpit and cabin crew who are fasting be advised not to fly.’

A PIA spokesperson has said that a circular in this regard has already been issued and its compliance has been ensured. According to the Civil Aviation Rules, no crew member shall exercise the privileges of his license while fasting.