PIA's audit reveals over 1,100 flights without adequate passengers between 2021–2023
A recently released audit report has revealed severe operational and planning failures within Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), uncovering that over 1,100 flights operated from Islamabad between 2021 and 2023 with just one or two passengers onboard.
The report states that 816 flights carried only one passenger, while 302 flights had only two passengers. Despite these extremely low passenger loads, the flights were not canceled—an oversight that auditors say significantly deepened the airline’s financial troubles.
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Instead of suspending under-booked routes to minimize losses, PIA chose to continue operations, a decision the report labeled as administratively negligent and financially damaging. In many cases, even flights carrying fewer than 50 passengers went ahead without cancellation, and affected passengers were not offered ticket refunds.
Audit officials noted that district managers, in coordination with the marketing team, had the authority to cancel such flights but failed to act, further worsening the national carrier's losses. The issue was first flagged to PIA management in June 2024, but no official response was provided. The Departmental Audit Committee only addressed the matter in 2025, after repeated follow-ups.
Auditors recommended improved flight planning, stricter operational oversight, and regular performance evaluations to prevent such incidents in the future.
PIA says flights were charter, not commercial
Later the same day, a PIA spokesperson issued a clarification regarding the audit findings, stating that the report referred to a draft audit para concerning chartered flights, not regular commercial operations.
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According to the spokesperson, most of the chartered flights were operated during the COVID-19 pandemic to repatriate stranded Pakistanis from abroad. These flights are typically empty on one leg of the journey, but passengers are charged for round-trip costs, covering the operational expenses.
He emphasized that the figures in the audit report were based on a misunderstanding, and the draft para in question was removed following discussions with the auditors.
Source: Samaa TV